Dragon Ball Next Generation Part 1: The Atrocity
by Ma Junior1
Summary: The Z senshi is gone. A new threat comes to Earth. Will a boy, battered and beaten by life, give up everything he knows to defend his home?
1. The Bank

Dragon Ball Next Generation The Grey Saga Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Why am I doing this? Writing all this down? Do I need an account of my life so far? Is it for the future? So, when I grow old, I will know I'm not crazy? Certainly, my life would be considered crazy by most. Is it to try to sort out the events of my life? I don't know. But I do know I'm doing this for myself, no one else. I don't care if future generations read this account, but this is for me. Understand that. But, a warning is necessary. This story is not for the weak of heart, or those prone to upset stomachs. Nor is it for those seeking a happy story, because my life is not a happy one.  
  
It's strange, how just one day could completely change a person. You wake up on that day, expecting it do be no different then any other day. I had a day like that. My life before that day just doesn't seem important anymore. I was just a kid, doing kid stuff. There was nothing exceptional about me then. I figured I would just lead a normal life, do normal things. Oh, how I have changed. I don't know if I envy myself back then, in my carefree days, I know not which I prefer, then or now. Maybe it's best that way.  
  
As I said earlier, my life before that day wasn't important, but there are a few details that are. But, as to not get ahead of myself, I will explain them as I knew them back then. I was thirteen at the time; my birthday was only a few weeks earlier. I was an orphan. I was brought to the Satan City orphanage when I was only a day or two old. I didn't know who brought me, or what happened to my parents. But I was never adopted.  
  
I wasn't an ugly baby, and I was most times peaceful, but there was something that distanced me from others, and I always had a feeling of not belonging. I was a kind person, but I isolated myself, and never really enjoyed the company of the other children. All adults who considered adopting me saw that, and always decided on someone else. Not that I cared, I was comfortable in the orphanage.  
  
But don't start feeling sorry for me, and think I was a helpless, miserable loner. I had a friend. Her name was Ann. She had lost her parents in a car accident when she was ten. Her parents were not good people, but the social workers didn't find that out until they were dead. Having a life like that can really damper your social skills, so naturally, we became friends, because we had no others.  
  
Satan City was the perfect name for where we lived. It had the highest poverty rate of any other city in the world. It was a haven for factories that couldn't build anywhere else because of safety issues. People didn't care that the air was so thick with smog that airplanes were restricted from the airspace above the city, or that our water carried so much bacteria that almost everyone had at least three cases of intestinal infection every five years or so. People would live with and do anything to find work and get money. Anything.  
  
Luckily, the orphanage was on the "good" side of town, or really, just the better side. There was no good side of town in Satan City. The "bad" side of town was a catacomb of dark alleys of torn-down buildings, shacks, and cardboard lean-tos. I guess we were lucky. Or, as lucky as any orphan can be.  
  
You see, Satan City had no strong foundations to keep it prosperous. It was balancing on one pillar, just the fame of one man, Mr. Hercule Satan, champion and savior of the world, over 300 years ago. Once he died, so did Satan City. As it lost it's trademark man, it lost popularity, and people flocked to more prosperous cities like Western Capital, home of Capsule Corp, the longest-lasting company in the history of the world.  
  
But, back to me. Most thirteen-year-olds didn't have jobs, but I did. Not a real one, I just washed dishes at the orphanage's cafeteria every night. It was Ms. Well's idea. She was one of the orphanage "mothers". I ate about twice as much as any other kid, and the kitchen staff was lacking. I agreed, having nothing else to do, being the outsider I was. In fact, I actually enjoyed the job. Not the actual work, but the privacy. You don't get much of that in a two-story building with over a hundred kids. Sometimes, Ann would come in, and we would talk while I worked. I think I would have done it even if I didn't get paid. After a few weeks of washing, I got my first paycheck for eleven zeni and twenty-seven cents. Ms. Well suggested that I begin a checking account at the bank.  
  
That's how this decisive day began. On the bus, to the bank, with Ann sitting next to me. We sat in silence for most of the ride, just watching the city go by. That's one of the things I liked best about her, we didn't have to always talk, and we could just enjoy each other's company. She was staring out the window, and I was staring at her. I watched the how her shoulder-length light-brown hair bounced as the bus bounced. I watched her soft eyes move as she watched what ever was outside.  
  
I began to think of the dream I had the other night. In that dream, we had kissed. I didn't remember much else, but I remembered that part as if it had happened. I wondered if we would ever really kiss, or if we would just be friends our entire lives. I had never really thought about it before, but I was thirteen now, and in some cultures, that was the age of manhood. I had never realized just how beautiful she was.  
  
She turned around in the middle of my thoughts, and looked right into my eyes, as if she read my mind. I felt my cheeks redden.  
  
"There's another family out there." She said, with a dreamy look in her eyes. She said that almost every time she saw one. I guess, having had a family before, however bad, had made her miss having one, and she longed to have on again. Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a chance. Most families look for babies, not thirteen-year-old girls. For me, life was the orphanage, the only one I had ever known. I never longed for a family, not really.  
  
"Yep." I sighed; more relived that she didn't seem to notice that I was blushing.  
  
"Do you think we'll ever have a family?" she asked, still looking into my eyes. I wasn't sure what she meant by that. Did she mean us, together, or get adopted, or what? I just shrugged, and began to study the man's head in front of me.  
  
"I had a nightmare last night." She stated.  
  
"Oh, really?" I said, raising my eyebrows.  
  
"Yeah, it was scary. I think that I died in it." She said, her voice starting to quiver.  
  
"Hey, it was just a dream." I said, and put my arm around her, trying my best to comfort her.  
  
"But, I've heard that dreams can tell you what's going to happen, like a premonition, or something." She said, as she moved next to me, and put her head on my shoulder.  
  
"It was just a dream." I repeated. "That other stuff is just crap." I felt her nod on my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you." I said, softening my voice as much as possible.  
  
"Your right, I've just got a bad feeling, you know." She said.  
  
"Yeah, I know." I said. We didn't speak again until we came to our stop. I was glad. My stomach felt like it was tied into about a trillion knots. If she spoke again, I probably would have just started jumbling my speech and looked like a total idiot.  
  
So, we just sat there like that, with her next to me, with my arm over her, for about ten minutes. Then, we slowly lurched forward, as the bus came to a stop. 2nd avenue, our stop.  
  
We climbed out of the bus, and began walking down the street. My stomach was still fluttering around a little bit, and I tried to distract myself by studying the sights of the street. The last thing I wanted to do was act weird in front of Ann. I slowed my pace as I watched a man and a woman having a huge argument across the street. Ann didn't seem to notice, and walked a head of me.  
  
Not looking where I was going, I stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk, but managed to catch myself before my face was planted into the cement. I looked up, and there was Ann's. "backside" in front of me. My face was probably as red as any tomato at that point. She turned around, her hair flowing beautifully in front of her face.  
  
"Are you O.K., Celic?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," I said, trying to hide my embarrassment, "I just tripped, I'm fine." Then she turned around and began walking again. That was my second potentially embarrassing situation that day! I made sure I was watching where I was stepping from then on, and I stayed at Ann's side, just incase.  
  
We made it to the bank without another incident. The wall facing the street was completely made up of windows, and it made it look kind of classy, and very out of place in Satan City. I opened the glass door for Ann, and then went inside.  
  
There were two tellers, both with lines. I went to the shortest line. In front of me was some woman wearing skimpy clothes, and an old couple at the counter, who seemed to be having trouble with a check or something.  
  
"So, are you going to buy me something?" Ann asked sweetly.  
  
"I don't know. I've only got like twelve zeni. What can I buy with that?" I asked.  
  
"You can buy me ice cream." She stated. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"What makes you think that I'll spend my hard-earned money on you?" I asked, smirking. Ann let a "hmp" and playfully shoved me. I grinned and shoved her back.  
  
"Jerk." She mumbled. I nodded.  
  
"I'll buy you all the ice cream you want, as long as it's under eleven zeni." I said.  
  
"Well, thank you." She said. Then she gave me a peck on the cheek. My heart stopped. I didn't know if it meant anything, but I grinned just the same. Then my stomach went into a flurry of that butterfly feeling. But it was different then before. It felt almost sick, like when you are going do something you really don't want to do, like your scared. I grabbed my stomach in pain. Ann looked at me out of the corner of her eye.  
  
Then there was a loud slam behind me, and I turned around. There were three guys in ski masks, each waving a gun in the air! I stood there, stunned. The men moved forward, pushing us out of their way.  
  
"Everyone back up to the wall." One of the guys shouted, waving his gun at us. I grabbed Ann and began to back away. We hit the wall and slid down in a crouching position. Next to me, I felt Ann trembling. I looked at her, and saw she was crying. Those beautiful eyes, they were sad! Hate ran through me, hating them for making those beautiful eyes red with tears.  
  
"Don't worry," I whispered as I pulled her close, hugging her tightly, "I won't let them hurt you." I barely heard her whimper. I looked up at the three men, and saw one of them holding a paper sack in his out-stretched arms.  
  
"Give me all the money." He demanded, the others pointing their guns at the teller.  
  
"It.it's in the safe." She stuttered, her face white from fear.  
  
"Fine." Said the one with the bag. He pointed to the man at his right. "Your gonna take him to the safe, and then your gonna stuff this bag." He said. The teller nodded slightly. She took him through a door on the other side of the counter.  
  
I heard a moan coming from my right. I glanced over, and saw the old woman, huddling with her husband. *They're just like us!* I realized. I looked up at the two men left in the room. Anger and hate rushed through me, as I clenched my fists, trying to contain myself, for Ann's sake. *Those bastards! What right do they have to do this to us!*  
  
My heart quickened, my breaths became shallow and methodic. I clenched my teeth so hard my gums hurt. The only thing that kept me calm was Ann's soft whimpering. She was terrified! They wouldn't touch her! I looked down at her. She was too beautiful, too good, and too nice to be in this situation. So much had happened to her already!  
  
*I love her, and nothing will happen to her!* I thought. It was no revelation, no great surprise, just the fact, just the truth.  
  
Then the man and the teller came back into the room, with the paper sack budging. The man's eyes were alive with excitement. I could hear him giggling. I was now almost shaking with rage. The trio, with their guns still pointed at us, moved toward the exit. The one with the money looked back, out the windows, and almost dropped the bag.  
  
"Shit!" He yelled, and jumped around. The others jumped with him. There, parked outside of the bank, was a whole squadron of police cars, with the police climbing out of them.  
  
"Damn it!" the one in the middle. He looked at the other one not carrying the money.  
  
"Get a hostage, quick!" He yelled at the man.  
  
He nodded and grabbed the old lady to my right. The lady screamed as the man forced her up. The other one grabbed blindly, taking the first person he came into contact with. Ann. She screamed in terror as she was hoisted up to her feet.  
  
"NO!" I screamed, and lunged for the man. BAM! I was knocked back by the man's fist. I thudded to the floor, my head screaming in pain. The man pulled back the hammer of the gun with a click, and put it against Ann's neck.  
  
"Try that again." The bastard cooed, "I'd love to see you try." I saw the same gleam in his eye as the man with the bag. I knew he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her. So I sat there, in cold fury, completely and utterly hating him, and myself for being so helpless.  
  
I looked into Ann's eyes. Tears were streaming down her face. She looked at me, her eyes begging me to help her. My heart was breaking in two.  
  
The three advanced forward, toward the door, toward the police. The man with the old lady was in the lead, followed by the one with the money, then the man carrying Ann. It seemed to take them an eternity to take each step, as I watched them, with an unending fury. I hated them. I loved Ann. I knew no more, and no less.  
  
BAM! There was muffled explosion outside, then the cracking of glass, then and the thud of a body hitting the floor. One of the police had fired, and shot the man holding the old lady. She wailed as she lost her balance and fell to the floor, next to the man now with a bullet hole in his chest.  
  
"What the fuck do you think your doing!?" The man carrying Ann yelled. Then, before I realized what was happening, he raised the gun to Ann's head.  
  
BANG!  
  
The sound was explosive. It was a lot louder then the guns on T.V. Then the world went silent. I heard nothing, just saw them. Watched as the man released his grip on Ann, saw her eyes open wide, in surprise, horror, or just the realization that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I saw in slow motion as she fell, almost elegantly to the floor. She hit the floor, bounced once, and then stopped, not moving. Just lying there on the floor, motionless.  
  
It took me a moment to realize what had happened. It slowly crept into my mind. Ann was dead? No, that was impossible. He killed her. NO! Ann's dead, he killed her, Ann's dead, he killed her. It kept rushing through my brain, a torrent of the same five words, trying to penetrate the barrier of disbelief. I was hit with a flashback from the bus. Her head was on my shoulder, and I told her I would take care of her.  
  
Then I saw it. Ann had a hole in her head. Blood was leaking out of it. She was dead.  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!" My anger exploded out of me, almost seeming to manifest it's self into another being that took control of my body. I saw the man, still holding the gun in the same position as when he shot. HE KILLED HER! I told her I would take care of her! I couldn't fulfill my promise to her! Because of him! I saw only him; he was my only target, my only reason on Earth. I was going to make him suffer! My god, how he would suffer.  
  
I leaped up, screaming in hate, and rage. Tears of grief sprang from my eyes freely, running down my cheeks. I ran at the man, but the other one, the one with the money, was between us. Too bad for him.  
  
Before he could react, I clenched my right hand into a fist, and swung at him, hitting him with a backhand. He let the bag go as he literally flew into the glass wall, which shattered on impact. His upper body made it out of the building, but the shards of glass he landed on cut his legs to ribbons. Not that he mattered. All I wanted was to reach the one who killed Ann.  
  
If I hadn't been in such a rage, I would have found what I had done strange, to say the least. I had always been pretty strong for my age, but never strong enough to actually send someone flying like I did.  
  
But that didn't matter. I was closing in on my goal. I saw red, and he was in the center of my vision. A seething hate took over me, and I clenched my fist, raised it, and leapt at him. I hit him square in the face with everything I had. He flew back, and thudded against the wall, creating a dent in it.  
  
That wasn't enough. I began to run at him again. He raised his hand, which still contained the gun. The same gun that killed Ann. He pulled back the hammer, and squeezed the trigger.  
  
I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my left shoulder. The bullet had hit me, but hadn't killed me. Paying no mind to my injury, which had hardly even stopped my momentum, I landed on him, and began to pummel him. I paid no mind to the fact that I couldn't use my left arm, I just hit him. Raising my fist, I let it drop on his head, again, and again, and again. He raised his now bloody hands weakly, trying to fend off my attack.  
  
*Does he want mercy?! What mercy does he deserve? What mercy did that bastard show Ann? None!* these thoughts infuriated me. I raised my hand, and screamed as I slammed my fist down on his head as hard as I could possibly manage.  
  
CRACK!  
  
I suddenly realized that my hand was actually in an indention in the top of the mask. I pulled my fist away, to find it covered in blood, and specks of flesh and bone. I was suddenly aware to the pain shooting up and down my left arm, which was now drenched in my blood.  
  
My breathing slowed, as did my heart. But the tears still came. Tears of hate, of grief. I looked around. Everyone was starring at me in shock and disbelief. I looked outside. The police were just as stunned as everyone else. I realized that everything had only happened in a few seconds.  
  
I looked down. There was Ann. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful. Her hair partially covered her face, but it all added to the beauty. She just didn't look dead.  
  
*Run*  
  
The thought just entered my head, and I realized it was right. I sprinted toward the door, and slammed into it with my good shoulder. It slammed into the side of the wall with a loud crash. I sprinted past the stunned police, into the alleys. I ran. I ran from what had happened, what I had done. I had no idea where to, but I ran. 


	2. The Warehouse

Dragon Ball Next Generation Grey Saga Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The pain was horrible. With every step, pain shot through my arm. It was so bad I nearly fainted every time I felt it, but I endured. I just ran, my only goal was to escape from that place. The reality of what I had done, what had happened, had not really sunk in. I think that I ran because I really believed that if I ran fast enough, I could escape the pain.  
  
I ran though alleys, and through crowded streets. People looked at, some turned their heads, but no one even offered to help me. There I was, a terrified boy, covered in blood, and no one even tried to stop me from running. Just goes to show you how our society has de-generated over the years.  
  
I ran toward the edge of the city, where the "good" and the "bad" side of Satan City met. I ran into an alleyway and, between a dumpster and some discarded cardboard boxes, I collapsed from exhaustion. My legs burned, and I became aware that they were actually shaking, even though I was covered by sweat. My heart seemed to be beating a hundred times per second, and I was gasping for air. I inspected my shoulder, and saw that the dried blood had began to clot, along with my shirt. And then fell asleep sitting there in the alley.  
  
***  
  
I awoke to find the sky beginning to turn a pinkish-orange. I didn't know how long I had been asleep, but I felt a little better. My shoulder was now a dull throb. I looked over it, and saw another hole one that side too. The bullet had passed through my shoulder. I guess I was lucky. I tried to move my arm, but as soon as I used it, pain shot up and down, and the throb in my shoulder turned into fire.  
  
I sat there another moment, waiting for the pain to subside. Then, slowly, I lifted myself up using my right arm. As I stood up, I realized my right hand was also hurting. I looked at my hand and saw most of the blood had dried and chipped away. I saw that my knuckles and parts of my fingers were covered with bruises.  
  
*Well, I did break a guy's skull* I thought. That's when everything came rushing back to me, in a flood of memories. Ann was dead, I had killed a man, probably crippled the other. I felt dizzy, and grasped a trashcan for support, ignoring the pain in my hand.  
  
I felt the taste of bile in my mouth. The sudden rush of vomit was too hard to control, and I barely had time to nock the lid of the trashcan off before I started to throw up. When there was no more left in my stomach, I began to dry-heave into the can.  
  
I stood there a moment, as all of it sunk in, wondering what I was going to do. What was I supposed to do? I had killed someone, but in self-defense, in rage. in cold blood. Would I be sent to jail? Would I be labeled as a freak and shunned from society? I didn't know.  
  
But I realized that I had to get help. I probably lost a lot of blood, and the wound could get infected. But, if I went to a hospital, would they call the police? I was so scared of going to jail, but the pain made me move.  
  
As I walked out of the alley, my legs began to shake, and I could barely hold myself up. I was weaker then I thought. Fear crept up my spine like ice. What if I don't get help? What if I die here on the street?  
  
I stumbled out of the alley, searching for someone, anyone. The street was empty and there were few lights on. I stumbled to the first door I found. It was a pawnshop. I banged on the door as hard as I could, and looked in the window. There came no answer. I moved on to the next building. I pounded on a door, waited, went to the next, and continued the process. I could feel myself weaken. I was afraid I would faint on the sidewalk and never wake up.  
  
I turned the corner, and saw someone leaning next to a car. I hobbled over to him. He was wearing tennis shoes, baggy jeans and a long overcoat. He had a few days stubble on his face, and his black hair dropped down to his shoulder. Weakly, I came to him. He saw me and immediately backed away, looking at me like I was the most disgusting thing he had ever seen.  
  
"Please, help me." I said, my voice quivering from fear and exhaustion.  
  
"Hey, your that kid, from the orphanage." He said, pointing from me. I nodded weakly. He smirked, and began to giggle.  
  
"Well hop in," he said as he opened the passenger door to the car, "We'll get you some help."  
  
"No. hospital." I managed to stutter. His grin widened.  
  
"Don't worry," he said, "I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those places." Without saying anything else, I climbed into car, and collapsed on the seat. I should have known something was wrong, but I had lost so much blood that I wasn't thinking strait. He went to the driver's side, slid in, and turned it on. He slammed on the gas, and the car jumped onto the road.  
  
"I'm taking you to my place." He said. I nodded again, and then I slipped into darkness.  
  
*** "Hey, kid, wake up." I felt a finger poking me in the ribs. I opened my eyes slowly, realizing I was still the guy's car. I saw that the sky was now completely dark now, or at least as dark as it could get in the city. I also saw that we were on the edge of Satan City. Beyond the half-ruined buildings stood mountains, and a forest of new trees. The city had recently planted almost an entire forest around the city's borders to up its appeal.  
  
"Alright kid, lets go." Said the guy next to me. I saw him open the door and jump out of the car. I sat there for another moment, and then willed myself to get out. As I walked around the car the guy headed for a building next to us. It was a two-story rundown warehouse. Most of the windows were boarded up and the cargo bays on the side of the building had been beat in. It also could have used a paint job. It looked like it should have been condemned, but like I said, I wasn't thinking strait, and so I headed into the building.  
  
As I entered, I saw that most of the building was just one big room. At my right, I saw a whole pile of cardboard boxes, stacked almost to the two- story level. To my left were about ten other guys watching a TV with bunny ears. They were cheering, so I assumed they were watching some kind of sport.  
  
The guy kept on walking strait ahead. I followed him to the opposite side of the building. There were a few small cubicle-like rooms that looked like they used to be offices. The guy walked into the one on the far right, and motioned me to hurry up.  
  
As I entered the room, I saw that there was only a small cot and a table in the room. The guy motioned for me to lie on the cot. I flopped on it and sighed gratefully, happy to finally be able to rest.  
  
"The names Andy, you?" the guy said, while fishing for something in his coat pocket.  
  
"I'm Celic." I said.  
  
"Celic? What kind of a name is that?" Andy asked. I shrugged.  
  
"I dunno, that's just the name in they gave me in the orphanage." I said.  
  
"I kind of like it." Andy said. Then he pulled something out of his coat pocket, and then threw the coat to me.  
  
"Here," he said, "your probably cold."  
  
"Thanks." I said as I wrapped the coat around me.  
  
Andy then slapped a plastic baggie on the table. He opened it up and poured out some white powder. Then he produced a small straw and placed one end of it next to the powder. He shoved the other end of the straw into his nostril and began to inhale deeply, moving the straw through the pile of powder. I saw him doing this, realizing that he was taking drugs, but I was too tired to care. Besides, it wasn't any of my business what he wanted to do; I had just met the guy. Then he looked over to me, his eyes open wide and a goofy grin on his face. He motioned to me with the straw.  
  
"No thanks." I said.  
  
"You sure? This stuff's the shit, man." He said, his voice slurred. I just shook my head. He shrugged and turned his attention back to the white powder.  
  
"Yo, Andy, where's the money man?" I heard from outside the door. Andy and I both turned our heads toward the open door. A tall guy entered, and he looked pretty pissed. He wore faded jeans, and a T-shirt with some heavy metal band on the front. He was tan, completely bald, and had a scowl on his face.  
  
"So, where's the money?" he asked again. Andy began to giggle.  
  
"Don't tell me, you used up the shit before you could sell it, right?" the tall guy asked. Andy snickered and nodded.  
  
"Damn it! How the hell are we supposed to pay for the shit if you keep using it!" the guy yelled. Then he looked and me. "And who the hell is this?!" What? Sell the drugs? Then it hit me, I was a drug house! I started to sweat.  
  
"Hey, calm down Xavier, don't worry." Andy said as he shakily got up, stumbled toward Xavier, and clasped his hand on his shoulder. "I've got a plan." He stated, looking extremely proud."  
  
"Yeah, what's that?" Xavier demanded.  
  
"I say we go and sell all our stuff, then get money from them." He said, now almost unable to stand up.  
  
"Damn it! We already do that, you stupid fuck! And maybe if you quit getting high every time you go out, maybe we'd sell some shit!" Xavier was now in a rage. "We even tried to rob a bank, but you know how that turned out!" He yelled, now in Andy's face. *Oh no!* I thought. *What if they find out it was me!*  
  
"Hey, remember what Cortez did to the last guy who couldn't pay?" Andy said, laughing so hard that he fell on the floor. Xavier's eyes got wide, and his hand moved toward his crotch.  
  
"Oh, yeah, about the bank robbery," Andy said, pointing at me, "this guy's the one from the orphanage, and I brought him here 'cause he knows kids from the orphanage, and I thought that he could sell the stuff to the kids and the orphanage." Andy had a triumphant look on his face. I tried to stifle a gasp of horror.  
  
"WHAT! You brought that kid here!" Xavier screamed, his veins almost literally popping out of his neck. He looked at me with a gaze full of hate and fury. "You little shit! Do you know what you did to me!?" Then he sucked in his breath, sighed, and seemed to calm down a little. "Maybe you don't. Well, how 'bout I show you." With that, he reached behind his back and produced a gun. He pointed it at me and pulled back the hammer. I shut my eyes and held my breath.  
  
"THIS IS THE POLICE, WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED, DROP YOUR ARMS AND COME OUT PEACFULLY" I heard, the voice seeming to come from the walls. In the background, I heard gunfire.  
  
"Shit!" Xavier gasped. He turned his gaze toward Andy. "You were so high, you led the cops here!" he screamed. Andy began to laugh hysterically. Screaming in fury, Xavier turned the gun on Andy and pulled the trigger. Andy stopped laughing as blood from the hole in his stomach began to stain his shirt. His eyes went blank and his head rolled to the side. Xavier pulled the hammer back again, and turned toward me.  
  
CRASH!  
  
A canister flew through threw the window and landed beside one of the legs of the table. Xavier and I stared at it for a moment, and then it hissed and smoke began to seep out of it. Xavier yelled and ran from the room. Coughing, I jumped out of the cot, wrapped the overcoat around me, and ran out of the room. I was met with the site of a line of people, all with guns, firing at a line of police in full SWAT gear, who were advancing towards us.  
  
I didn't want to get picked up by the police. What if they thought I was part of this!? I looked for a place to hide. I saw the huge stacks of boxes along the opposite side of the building, and ran for it.  
  
As I leaped behind a pile of boxes, I landed on someone, who responded with a frightened yelp. Quickly, I rolled off the person, and crouched behind a box. Then I saw the person I landed on was Xavier.  
  
"You!" he seethed, hatred dripping from the word. He smiled and pointed his gun at me. Behind him, I saw police running towards us. I jumped up and ran. BAM! Xavier missed, and began to run after me. I dove over a line of boxes, and saw Xavier go the opposite way. He stood up, and began to fire shot after shot at the advancing police. I covered my ears as the police retaliated. Bullets slammed into him, creating seemingly hundreds of holes. He fell backwards with a thud, the gun slipped out of his hand and landed next to him.  
  
I turned, still covering my ears. I saw that the cargo bay doors were open. I jumped up and ran blindly, praying I wouldn't get shot down. I reached the doors and leaped out, the sounds of gunshots still ringing in my ears. I was afraid I would go deaf.  
  
I found myself running, again. This time, I was running on the border of the city. One side, a poor and rundown city, the other a young forest. Interesting, how it seemed to work, it was such a strange contrast. I saw a fire, with people huddling around it. I ran up to them. As I came within a few feet of them, I saw they were extremely poor, wearing only rags, dirt covering them, the fire was actually inside a old, metallic thrash can. I then stumbled, fell, and collapsed, my world going black. 


	3. The Forest

Dragon Ball Next Generation Grey Saga Part 1: the Atrocity  
  
Chapter 3  
  
My face was cold, I could feel that even before I opened my eyes. My face was cold, and I was very uncomfortable. I felt like I was lying on a pile of rocks, and my back was extremely sore. I opened my eyes, and stared strait up.  
  
I saw a mere skeleton of a building before me, rising three stories off the ground. There were pieces of plywood above me, forming a sort of roof. Not wanting to get up, or even move my head, I took my hands from my chest and placed them on the ground, making snow angle movements with them. At least my right, anyway. As I moved my left arm, pain shot through it, reminding me of the day's events.  
  
I seemed to be lying on a pile of paper, and it crunched under my hands. I sighed as I hefted myself up into a sitting position. I squinted as the morning sun shone in my eyes. I looked down, and saw that I was actually lying on a pile of crumpled up newspapers.  
  
"Oh, I see your up." A voice said. I looked around, and saw a man standing behind me. He looked old, maybe seventy or around that. He had a wild silver-white beard that reached almost to his chest. He as going bald, the top of his head exposed. He was wearing really ragged clothing, just a plaid shirt and stained, ripped jeans that exposed his calves. No shoes, no socks, nothing else.  
  
"Did you help me?" I asked. The old man grinned.  
  
"Yep. We make a point around here to help others, especially ones worse off then us, but that doesn't happen much." He said.  
  
What did he mean by worse off? Then I realized he was eyeing my clothes, and my shoulder. My clothes were still almost completely covered in blood, making it look like I had been hit by a truck or something. In fact, the only thing that wasn't bloody was the jacket Andy gave me, which was still wrapped around me. The man was eyeing the jacket as I took it off to inspect my clothes.  
  
"Here," I said, tossing the jacket to him, "you can have this, as thanks for helping me." I said. The man took it, his face beaming.  
  
"Well, thank you! I've never had a jacket like this before." He flipped inside out, inspecting every inch of it. "Not even one hole!" He had the widest grin on his face I had ever seen.  
  
"No problem." I said, trying to stand up. I offered him my hand. "My name's Celic."  
  
The man took my hand. "Well, I don't know my birth name, but the folks 'round here call me Pappy." I raised my eyebrows.  
  
"Pappy?"  
  
"Well, sure. What's wrong with Pappy?" The man asked.  
  
"Uh, nothing, really. I've just never met anyone actually named Pappy before." I admitted.  
  
"Well, I guess now you have." He reasoned. I just nodded.  
  
"I suppose your wondering what happened to me." I said, motioning to my shoulder.  
  
"Nope, not really." He said, shaking his head. "We don't ask questions here." I sighed in relief. I didn't really want to explain all of it. I was still trying to cope with it myself.  
  
"Well, your welcome to stay here as long as you like." Pappy said. I decided to see what "here" actually was. We were in a half finished building. One wall was finished, the others just a pile of bricks. There was plywood above us, acting as a roof for whoever lived here. Whoever was in charge of construction had probably pulled the funding for it, just like half of the other buildings in Satan City.  
  
Around me, there were more piles of paper, like nests. Beds, probably. I saw a few figures still sleeping, but most of the piles were empty. I walked "outside" of the building, trying to get a sense of where I was. The building was right on the edge of the city, a young forest beyond it. I realized that I was probably no more then a few blocks away from the drug house that I had escaped from earlier. That gave me an uncomfortable feeling, and I went back inside, to my new "home".  
  
***  
  
I didn't know how long I was going to stay there, or what I was going to do when I left. I just enjoyed the ability to stay in one place, and try to sort out events in my mind. Actually, the first few days, I didn't really think much, I just slept. Sleep was good. In sleep, I found comfort and forgiveness. I forgot what I had done, what others had to me, how much pain I was in, and how hungry I was.  
  
I had not eaten much since the morning of the bank robbery, and that had been three days ago. At first, I just wasn't hungry, but as my stomach growled, I just couldn't bring myself to eat what Pappy gave me. It was all old, moldy, or half-eaten food. But, finally hunger won, and I ate a semi- green ham sandwich the evening of the third day I was there.  
  
After my meal, I decided to take a walk. I had been inside the building ever since I went out the first day, and I needed some fresh air. I told Pappy that I needed to think, and walked off, alone.  
  
I sighed deeply as I turned the corner, enjoying the fresh night air (at least, as fresh as it can be in Satan City). I had my hands in the pockets of a torn and faded pair of jeans that Pappy had given me. The clothes that I had worn when I came there were thrown into the nightly fire, at my request. I would have given anything to forget, and just move on, but I couldn't.  
  
Earlier, Pappy had found the front page of the Satan Tribune, the one that had come out the day after the robbery. He showed it to me. I saw that there was an article about both the robbery, and the bust of the drug house, which was successful. Successful in that the drugs were in police custody. But the article also said that five of the pushers had been killed, along with two cops, both with families.  
  
But the reason Pappy showed it to me was because I was also front-page news. There was my last school picture plastered onto the bottom-right corner, with text underneath saying that I was wanted to be brought into the police station for questioning. That's when I decided to take a walk.  
  
Should I turn myself over? Should I stay hidden? What would I be charged with? Could a thirteen-year-old kid go to jail? I tried to sort out the questions, wondering what I was supposed to do. I had no idea!  
  
I calmed down, and breathed deeply, glancing around. There were two guys a few blocks ahead of me, stumbling around the sidewalk. Drunk, most likely.  
  
Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me. I covered my mouth with my hand, and ran to a trashcan. Once there, I stood over it for a minute, waiting for my digestive system to do something. The nausea passed, and I pulled my head out of the trash. *Probably just some bad food,* I thought jokingly.  
  
I sighed, and slumped to the ground, by back to some building. My stomach did some tumbling, but I didn't feel like throwing up again.  
  
"Hey, you!" I turned my head to the right, and saw a man, running strait at me! *Oh shit! What if he wants to hand me over!* I jumped up and ran. The man chased after me. I saw an alley about a block ahead of me. *Maybe I can lose him.* I thought desperately. I turned into the ally, and crouched behind a dumpster. A moment later, the man came running in.  
  
I could see his face now. He was wearing sunglasses, even though it was night. He wore a large trench coat, which covered his entire body. He was tall, and well built. His face was pretty dorky though. He had a long, sharp nose, and small ears that looked disproportionate to the rest of his head. His hair was cut close to his skull, matted down with gel.  
  
"Where are you, I know your in here." The man said. I held my breath and began to pray that he wouldn't find me. He began to move in a circle, watching all sides. As he turned his back to me, I saw something poking out of his coat. It looked like a handle to a sword! The man turned around, and came closer to the dumpster I was hiding behind.  
  
"What are you doing!?" I heard a feminine voice yell. The man turned around and walked further down the ally.  
  
"What do mean what am I doing? I'm looking for that kid!" he said, apparently to a shadow deeper in the ally.  
  
"Can't you see he's not ready?" I heard the woman's voice say. "He's been though so much, let him sort it all out before you put all this on him!" The voice seemed pretty mad. The man let out a long sigh, shrugged his shoulders, and disappeared. I mean, he really did disappear.  
  
I sat there, my brain unable to handle what had just happened. I felt numb. Was I free? Is he hiding somewhere? I sat there, searching for some sing of movement. Suddenly, my stomach began to churn again. Unable to hold it in, I jumped in front of the dumpster, opened the lid, and stuck my head in just as my stomach's contents launched its self upwards.  
  
When I had finished, I took my head from the dumpster, wiped off my mouth, spit, and walked out of the ally. My stomach still felt terrible, but I felt I could live with it. I decided to go back home, praying the man wouldn't find me on my way there.  
  
As I walked, my stomach got consistently worse. By the time I had reached the building were I was staying, I was clutching my stomach, and I could barely walk. I walked over to my bed/nest and collapsed. I breathed deeply, trying to calm my stomach.  
  
"Celic! Take a look at this!" I heard Pappy yell. It seemed like he was a million miles away. I let my head roll to the direction Pappy was. He was standing a few feet away from me, a humungous grin on his face. He was giggling like a little kid. Then I saw what was in his hand. I shot up into a sitting position, supporting myself with my good arm, my stomach momentarily forgotten. My eyes probably stuck out about five feet from their sockets.  
  
"How the hell did you get that!?" I exclaimed. In his hand was an actual wad of cash. One novel-sized stack of green! Pappy's grin widened.  
  
"It's all cause of you." He said, then came up and gave me a huge hug. I gasped in pain as he squeezed my left shoulder. He backed off.  
  
"Sorry about that." He said.  
  
"It's O.K." I said, gently rubbing my shoulder. "So anyway, how'd you get that?" I asked, pointing at his hand.  
  
"Oh, well, you remember that coat you gave me?" I nodded.  
  
"Well, I found some little plastic baggies in it. There was some white stuff in them. There were some kids that really wanted it. They gave me this." He motioned at the money.  
  
I sat there, comprehending what he had just said. I gave him Andy's coat! It probably had drugs in it! I remembered him pulling some out just before he gave the coat to me. Now, they were in the possession of some kids!  
  
"Pappy," I said, struggling to calm myself down enough to get the words out, "Are you sure you sold them to kids?" He nodded.  
  
"Yep, they looked about as old as you." What! He had just sold those drugs to kids my age! And I was partly to blame!  
  
I stood up, almost literally shaking. "Do you realize what was in those bags?" I demanded, walking up to him.  
  
"Well, I figured they were drugs, right? I mean, that's where you came from, the drug house." He said. He thought I was going to sell them! I didn't even know they were in the coat!  
  
Suddenly, my stomach decided to flip upside-down. The air turned sour. I felt like I was suffocating. I had to get out of there! I ran outside of the building, crouched, and began to dry-heave, there was nothing left in my stomach. I needed fresh air! I saw the young forest in front of me. Yes! Fresh air! I took off into the forest.  
  
It was dark, darker then it had ever been in the city. The trees blocked out seemingly all light, and so I ran blindly for a minute, until my eyes adjusted. Even then, it was difficult to see. I stumbled over rocks, roots, dead branches. I never fell, never lost momentum. I ran, again.  
  
Running from what I had done, another atrocity to add to my list. I didn't fulfill my promise to Ann, I killed her killer, I led cops to the drug house. I stumbled, began to fall, and grabbed a low branch. I hung there, diagonal to the ground as sickness again overtook me. I finished, gasping for breath. Because of me, cops were killed, Andy was killed Xavier was killed, the others in the drug house were killed, kids now had drugs in there hands. all because of me.  
  
I began to run again, my entire being against it, but I ran anyway. I needed to sweat, to vomit, to suffer, all to rid myself of my sins. Suffering was brutal, but it was slate-wiper. I needed to atone for what I had done. My lungs seemed to shrivel, my legs burned, my stomach churned, every fiber of my being was screaming at me to stop. I couldn't stop.  
  
Finally, my legs collapsed. I plunged headfirst to the ground, my momentum causing me to bounce, once, twice, and then skid painfully to a stop. My breath came in ragged, quick spurts. My stomach now had to be empty, but I kept on heaving, as if it was trying to expel it's self from my body. My dirty, sinful body. Yes, nothing wanted a part of me, I deserved nothing.  
  
I was then aware of a new sensation, as I lay there on my back, staring up at the trees. My head suddenly began to spin out of control, the trees above me twirling in circles. I shut my eyes, but it didn't help. My stomach started to get worse, and now seemed to actually roll out of place. The lower half of my digestive system began to rumble, telling me that I had diarrhea. My God, was it horrible. I deserved it, I needed it.  
  
I felt a hand grasp my shoulder, my eyes snapped open. There stood a human outline, distorted by my dizziness. It seemed to sway back and forth, as did the trees and sky above it. I moaned and shut my eyes again.  
  
"Celic," I heard Pappy's voice. It was so distant, as if he was in sky, calling for me. "Celic, wake up, please, I'm so sorry". I opened my eyes, and saw Pappy's kind face above me. Maybe he really was calling me from the sky. I felt a cool drop of liquid on my forehead, a kind contrast to my hot and sweaty skin. I looked in his eyes and saw Pappy was crying.  
  
I tried to speak, to tell him I was there, I was awake, but I couldn't get words out. My lungs wouldn't allow it, my throat to dry to move. I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position, my world going topsy-turvy again as I moved. I closed my eyes and felt arms wrap around me. Pappy was saying something, but I couldn't here it. I was concentrating too much on not being sick again.  
  
I felt the arms release there grip on me. I opened my eyes to see Pappy standing over me, holding his hand out to me. I sat there, studying his hand. The money was still there. His hand was bleeding, soaking the money. It had began to turn red. It was blood money.  
  
I looked up, and saw a malicious grin on his face. It was a horrible grin, full of hate and suffering. It made his face twist into something that looked pure evil. Gone were his kind eyes, now devoid of all feeling, just two dark voids in that horrible face. He had blood money, his hands were soaked in blood.  
  
NO! I screamed in my head. My hands were already soaked in blood, I didn't want a part of this. I had already had caused more suffering then I could atone for. NO MORE!  
  
I slapped away his blood-covered hands, leaped up, and began to run away from that. thing. That bloody being of evil that had once been my friend, my savior. I heard Pappy shout in protest, and then the sound of his footsteps on the ground.  
  
My God, I was so dizzy, so weak, I couldn't keep this up. But I couldn't succumb to the evil following me, I wouldn't cause more suffering. I ran, not stopping to throw up, not stopping to catch my breath, I would never stop. I ran blindly, at times with my eyes closed, trying to cope with my spinning head.  
  
I came to a steep hill, and began to skid/run down it. I closed my eyes as I felt I might fall, and shot my hands out in front of me. WHAM! My injured left shoulder slammed into a trunk of a tree, causing a dual effect. One, it caused me to stop my fall, allowing me to continue, and two, it caused my shoulder to seemingly burst into flames. I grabbed my shoulder instinctively, causing myself further pain.  
  
No longer paying attention to my running, I tripped over something, and plunged headfirst down the rest of the hill. It felt like my entire body was being ripped apart at it's seems.  
  
After an eternity of rolling and sliding, I came to a stop at the bottom of the hill. My mouth hung open, trying to scream in pain, but unable to find the ability to do so. My stomach heaved, my head twirled, by shoulder burned, by legs cramped, my entire world was pain. Then I realized that I was also cold, and wet. With my eyes still shut, I shot my good hand out and realized I had landed in water. I opened my eyes, and looked out behind me. I was laying at the edge of a wide lake.  
  
I saw something to my right, out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head, and there was Andy! He had the same grin on his face as he did after he took all those drugs. His shirt was still stained, his blood forming a flower-like shape around his stomach. He was holding out a bag filled with white powder. He reached a bloody hand to me, offering me the bag. Without moving his mouth, I heard him say:  
  
"Want some? This stuff's the shit man." I said nothing, unable to comprehend what I was seeing.  
  
"You sure? Everyone's doing it." Again, his mouth made no movement. Behind him, Xavier came into existence, his entire torso covered with blood, seeping out of hundred of holes. His face held a grimace of pain and anger. He held his gun out at me.  
  
"Do you know what you did to me, you little fucker!" He pulled the trigger, but no bullets escaped the gun. He paid no mind, and repeatedly pulled the trigger.  
  
Still in the same position as I had landed in, I saw another thing to my left. There was one of the robbers, holding an invisible person in his arms, a gun pointed to the sky. Half of the ski mask was torn off, revealing a fist-sized hole in the side of his head.  
  
"Come on, do something, I dare ya." I heard, and he began to pull the trigger of his gun just like Xavier. I moaned in horror. What the hell was happening.  
  
Then I saw Pappy sliding down the hill. His evil, twisted face still there, his blood money still in his hand. He was coming closer, fast. I was finally able to scream.  
  
I twisted around, ignoring all the pain, and began to crawl into the lake, head first, in a frenzy to get away from those things. I crawled, then swam into the cool, forgiving water. I saw no evil here. It was good, dark, calm. Below me, I saw a light, faint and gentle, rising up to meet me.  
  
The source of the light was a human. As it came closer, I saw it was. Ann! She was swimming up to meet me, incased in some heavenly light. She was beautiful, with a gentle smile on here face, here hair flowing gently in the water. Then she stopped, her hands reaching out to me. She seemed so far away.  
  
"Come with me" I heard. Yes, go with Ann. Why not. I loved her, I should be with her. I swam toward her, but something was holding me back. What ever it was, it was pulling me away from Ann. NO! I struggled, trying to break free, but to no avail. I was slowly being pulled back to land. But I was supposed to be with Ann! I wanted her, I needed her.  
  
The next thing I felt was a sharp pain on my cheek, like I had been slapped. My whole body was racked in pain, my cheek didn't matter much. Then I suddenly felt my lungs and stomach heave, and my mouth was forced open as gallons of water came out. I finished, and began to cough furiously, trying to get all the water out of my lungs.  
  
"Oh, thank God." I heard someone say. I looked up, and there was Pappy, the kind, gently Pappy I had known for three days, but seemed like a lifetime.  
  
"I thought you were dead, you almost drowned." He said. He started to say more, but began to sob instead. What? I almost drowned? I looked around. The robber, Andy, Xavier, they were all gone. What had happened? Had I imagined it, was I hallucinating? I just lay there, to tired to move, letting Pappy cry to his hearts content.  
  
Then I saw something in the distance. Another light, this time in the sky. Was it a plane? No, it was too big. I couldn't see it's shape against the black sky, but I saw the lights. It was coming in our direction, fast. I tried to say something to Pappy, to warn him, but I just couldn't move my limbs, I was completely exhausted. The thing came over us, and Pappy turned his head upward, seeing it, but it was too late. I then saw a bright light, then I knew nothing more. 


	4. The Ship

Dragon Ball Next Generation The Grey Saga Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I only saw a bright light, that was all. My mind barely even recognized what it was seeing, and the light didn't seem to hurt my eyes at all. It was like I was asleep, but I wasn't. My brain just wasn't taking in information at all. I felt nothing, heard nothing, knew nothing, I only saw the light.  
  
After a few moments/hours like this, my mind began to form a thought. It was slow, and took a long time to process it, but my brain made it all the same. *Was this the light at the end of the tunnel?* I had no idea, and I didn't care. I wouldn't have minded not knowing, and it didn't really matter if the answer came. I was completely calm.  
  
Then I had a pins and needles feeling in my toes, and it slowly worked it up my legs. I realized that my legs felt a lot better. They were still heavy, but no longer cramped and sore. As the pins and needles feeling crept up my body, I realized that my entire body felt extremely heavy. Not because of all the running I did, it felt like I was being weighted down by something. Not that I cared.  
  
The feeling reached my neck and moved upward. As it passed my lips, I realized that I still had the after-taste of vomit in my mouth. Then I could smell the air. It smelled metallic, cool, there was something I couldn't place. It smelled like there was something rotten in the room, it was faint, but it was there. Then I could here. I heard a far off buzzing sound, and screeching sounds, much closer. Then there was a quick squish, like some wet, soft material had been squished together. All this new information seemed to be bouncing off my brain. I was aware of these senses, but the information wasn't actually absorbed.  
  
Then I blinked.  
  
As I shut out the light, my brain literally began to scream. Where was I? What happened to me? Am I dead? Oh, God, my shoulder hurts. Where's Pappy? Was I kidnapped? I think I'm gonna puke again.  
  
I was terrified. I was unable to open my eyes, mainly out of fear of what I would find. I felt tears of fear well up in my eyes, my stomach quivered. I wanted to scream, I wanted someone to tell me it was OK, that I could open my eyes, that this whole thing was just a dream. All I wanted was to wake up in my bed at the orphanage, to see Ann, to be safe.  
  
But I knew that it was no dream, the pain in my shoulder told me that. It was so real, it couldn't possibly be a dream. The pain might possibly have been the only thing keeping me sane. It was something to hold on to, it told me that I was alive, that I needed to stay alive.  
  
I sucked my breath in and held it, calming myself down. *You need to get out of wherever you are.* What about the light? Wouldn't I just go back to that sleep state? *Turn your head, don't look at the light.* With much effort, I slowly turned my neck to my right. It was so stiff, it seemed like it would snap if I moved it to fast.  
  
I opened my eyes.  
  
*OH MY GOD!* Luckily, my surprise and terror made me unable to speak. I was lying on some kind of a long table, and there was a body lying two feet away from me! It was a young guy, in a running outfit. His face was encased in the same bright light that I could see out of the corner of my eye. He was staring strait at it, completely lifeless. No, wait, he was breathing. Yes, I could see his chest moving up and down very slowly. I realized I needed to get a better view of where I was. I lifted myself up, slowly.  
  
I was in some kind of oval shaped room. The interior was cold, metallic, devoid of any kind of color other then a metallic silver. I saw a little projector thing above the man's head, emitting the light. Past the man lay others, also incased in light. There was a woman, who looked around the same age as the man, who was also in running clothes. Then, there was a small, fuzzy dog, with a leash and collar attached to it's neck. It was laying on it's side, and I saw that it wasn't breathing. After the dog was another man, dressed in street clothes, jeans and a black muscle t-shirt, with a military style haircut. To the right of the long table we were on, was a smaller table, with Pappy. He was surrounded by two other beings. I couldn't see their faces, but they were short. They also had huge heads, at least in proportion to their bodies.  
  
I began to sweat. What am I going to do? Where am I? What are those things? I felt a scream surge through my throat. I clasped my hands over my mouth, but the scream was muffled, not muted. I heard a clatter, like something metal was dropped, and the beings turned toward me.  
  
They turned around and stopped. I think that they were surprised to see me awake, and sitting up. I suppose that was my saving grace. The two creatures had rough, gray skin, their torsos and hips covered by some rubber-like bluish material, almost invisible against the skin. Their heads were huge. They were shaped like a fat exclamation mark. A pointed chin, with a huge, round forehead. They had huge, black, almond shaped eyes, two small slits between them that I guessed to be nostrils, and no visible mouth. I gathered all this information in less then a second, without really processing it. That was because I instinctively rolled off the opposite side of the table as soon as I got a good look at them.  
  
Aliens! I had been abducted by aliens! Oh my God, what was I supposed to do!? I felt my breaths grow shallow, my heart thumping thousands of beats per second. My entire body was taken over by fear. Then my brain shut down, and for some reason, maybe to be sure that I wasn't crazy, I stood up.  
  
This time the creatures didn't hesitate. One of them stuck its hands out at me as soon as I moved. *What the hell did it do that for?* I got my answer the hard way. I heard a high-pitched sound, and the next thing I knew, my entire body was racked with pain. I fell backwards, and after a moment's hesitation, I crawled to the other side of the long table.  
  
My head felt warm, and wet. I placed my right hand on my head, and felt as sharp pain as I did so. I took my hand away, and saw that it was covered in blood. Damn! Immediately, I began to panic. I sat there, hyperventilating, waiting for one of those things to come and get me. Unfortunately for me, that's exactly what happened.  
  
It came around the corner of the table cautiously, creeping along on it's small feet, and remarkably skinny legs. *Man, I bet a super model would kill to get that skinny of a body.* It's strange, the things that pop into your head when your sure your going to die.  
  
I saw it's enormous face over the table. I hated it. What right did it have to take me? I was in anger's grip once again. It pointed its hand at me. Suddenly, I was overtaken by a strong will to live. I wasn't going to take death lying down, I was going to fight!  
  
With a scream, I leapt up, and tackled the thing. I heard as faint gargling noise as I hit it. We collided on the floor, me lying on top of the alien. I heard a small clunk as its weapon fell to the floor next to it. I felt a moment of triumph as I saw it wasn't moving. Then I remembered its partner.  
  
"Ahhhhh!" I screamed as I felt a searing heat on my back. My eyes rolled in their sockets, and my hand immediately shot to my back. I pulled it away as the pain intensified. Oh God! It felt like my back was boiling !  
  
I was now running entirely on adrenalin and instinct. My brain was hardly aware of what I was doing. I grabbed the thing that the alien dropped, and crawled back behind the table. I knew the other one would soon be coming after me, and I needed to get it before it got me. But I didn't think I could tackle it in my present condition. I looked at the weapon in my hand.  
  
It was a small cylinder, about the shape of a pencil. One end of it was extremely hot, but other then that, both ends were similar. There was no visible trigger. Acting purely on instinct, I stood up to face the other alien.  
  
It raised its hand. I could see the pencil-gun in its hands. Without thinking, I raised my hand over my head, and chucked my pencil-gun at the thing as hard as I could.  
  
CLUNK  
  
The weapon bounced of its enormous head. It stood there, motionless. Then, its eyes opened even wider, and it fell the floor, face first.  
  
Then my body gave out. I almost fell, but grabbed the edge of the long table for support. It hurt so bad. It hurt to move, to breath. I felt blood running down my back. Even that hurt. Then my brain started to reason again.  
  
I needed to get Pappy, and I needed to get out of here, wherever it was. If another one of those things came in there then, I would have been screwed. Using the table as support, I stepped over the bodies, I had no idea if they were unconscious or dead, and walked painfully to the small table Pappy was lying on. I finally reached him, and almost fainted as I looked down.  
  
Pappy was lying on the table, looking very peaceful, but unnaturally white. His long beard had been cut, and his shirt taken off to expose his chest. Through his chest was a long gash, obviously fatal. I gasped, and backed away from the body.  
  
Nonononono, this couldn't be happening, Pappy couldn't be dead, they couldn't have killed him, I can't be alone! I stared at the body, in the same way I had stared at Ann, unbelieving, not comprehending.  
  
*You need to get out of here! You can't help Pappy, you need to help yourself!* That was right, I was still in the alien laboratory, the murder's laboratory. They probably wouldn't hesitate to do the same to me. But I was so weak, I could feel myself slipping out of consciousness. What could I do?  
  
The others! Of course! I turned around and saw the three other people lying on the long table. They were still in the coma-like state. Then I saw the projector hanging above each one. Maybe, if I shut down the light, they would wake up.  
  
Upon further inspection, I saw the dude in the street clothes with the military haircut looked pretty strong. Actually, he was ripped. I stumbled over to him, placed my hands on the table, ignoring the pain in my left shoulder, trying to gain enough energy to shut off the light. I stared at the guy as I let my breathing slow.  
  
His eye twitched! I saw his eye twitch! I hoped that it wasn't a bad sign, like the light was giving him cancer or something. I needed to get the light off him fast. I looked up at the projector. It was small, with a little lens that was shaped so the light would spread across the man's eyes. There were some loose wires coming out of it. I reached up with my right hand, and grabbed the wires. Too weak to do anything else, I just grabbed the wires and fell across the man, letting the wires to come with me. The light shut off!  
  
For a second, the man made no move. I feared that the light had actually damaged his mind. Then I felt something like a hot wind come across the man. It was so strong that it actually blew my off him, and I landed painfully on the floor. It all became too much, and my vision started to become hazy.  
  
The man leapt off the table. It looked like he was actually glowing! What the hell? The man looked down at me, strait into my eyes.  
  
"Thank you." Was all he said. his voice sounded kind and sincere. I nodded weakly. Then the man raised his hand at one of the walls, with his hand parallel to the wall. A bright light came out of his hand, and hit the wall. Then it actually melted the wall! I stared out the hole in the wall, and realized that we were in a ship, because I could see the ground below us. hundreds of feet below us.  
  
Before I was able to ponder what had just happened, the pressure difference in the ship and the sky took effect. I was being sucked out of the ship! I desperately clawed at the floor, but it was too smooth, and I continued to fly. THUD! Half of my body hit the wall, and then I shot through the hole in the wall, and began my free-fall towards the Earth.  
  
I tumbled over and over, realizing that I was about to hit the ground any second, and that I would be killed instantly. Then, I felt strong arms grab me around the chest, and I actually stopped falling! I looked up, and saw the man was holding me up, in the sky! Then he began to glow once again. *He must be an angel* Yes, my guardian angel! The last sensation I felt was warmth passing through my body as I passed out for the fourth time that week. 


	5. Strange News

Dragon Ball Next Generation The Grey Saga Part One: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 5  
  
I was floating. I was floating in water, but I wasn't drowning. It was good, warm, healing. All the pain I had experienced had been washed away. Was this the atonement I had been seeking? All was calm and peaceful. My world was dark, but only because I had my eyes shut. I didn't want to open my eyes; it was just so peaceful to have them closed.  
  
Even with my eyes shut, I could see a light. It was faint, but it was there. It grew stronger, brighter, and soon I could see that the origin was beneath me. Not wanting to look downwards, I just let the source of the light come to me. As it came parallel to my face, I saw that the source of light was Ann. But, this time, she was not some beckoning apparition, charming me to water grave, but she just seemed content to float next to me.  
  
Slowly, she held both my hands in hers. There was no pain in my left shoulder this time. Her eyes met mine, and we gazed at each other for seemingly and eternity, for time had no meaning. Then, through unspoken words, she asked me to dance. So we danced, there in the warm, healing water, my arms around her waist, and hers around my neck, her head on my shoulder. We just floated there and danced, saying nothing, not needing to. It was pure, whole, and good.  
  
BEEEEEEEP!!!!  
  
I was snapped back into consciousness at the ring of a bell. I could feel the water draining, leaving me. Still with my eyes shut, I felt a rush of dry air hit me, and strong arms lifted me into the air. I opened my eyes momentarily, and saw the face of my angle looking back at me. Then I closed my eyes and drifted back into unconsciousness.  
  
***  
  
I could here waves crashing on a beach; I could smell the salt air. I opened my eyes and looked up to see a triangular ceiling. It was the third strange place I had woken up at in less then a week. At least this place looked slightly normal. I sat up and realized two things.  
  
One, there was no more pain, at all. Not in my shoulder, not in my back, I felt great! I inspected my shoulder, and saw that there was only a small scar there, barely noticeable. The last time I had seen it, there was a hole covered with a scab. I moved my arm experimentally, and realized there was no pain at all.  
  
The other thing I noticed was that I was in a very unfamiliar room. Not strange, I just didn't recognize it. I felt a cool breeze wash over my shoulder, and turned to see and open window. I looked out, and saw the ocean. Not only that, but I was on at least the second floor of the building. I was gripped with fear.  
  
Where was I? How did I get here? What happened to me? Where was the angle? My heart thudded as all kinds of scenarios played through my head. Was it all a dream? The robbery, the drug house, Pappy, the aliens, were they real? Had I been kidnapped? Was I still with the aliens, were they doing some kind of test to me? I jumped out of the bed I was in, and began to run for the door. Then I realized I had nothing on except my boxer!  
  
I looked around and saw a suitcase on a dresser opposite the bed. I opened it up, and there were all my clothes! How did they get here? Not really caring, I pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, put them on, and headed for the door.  
  
I opened it slowly, and tiptoed out the door. I was in a hallway. There were two other doors, and a stairway. I crept past the doors and began to walk down the steps. I put most of my weight on the banister, so I wouldn't make any of the steps creak. Holding my breath, I made it down the stairs and came to a wall that separated the stairs from a kitchen. I heard voices coming from the room, and crouched behind the wall.  
  
Slowly, I poked my head past the wall, and peeked into the kitchen. I saw four people sitting at a table. I saw an old man wearing a tropical shirt, shorts, and a huge pair of sunglasses. He was bald, and had a beard that came down to his chest. He looked kind of like Pappy, except he was shorter, and his beard was combed.  
  
I also saw a woman sitting next to the old man. She looked young, maybe in her twenties. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Her shoulder length dirty-blond hair was twisted into a ponytail behind her head. She looked pretty athletic, but very feminine at the same time. I couldn't see the other two because their backs were turned to me, but I could see that they were males.  
  
I wasn't listening to what they were saying. I was to busy thinking of a way out of my situation. Beyond the people was a door, leading outside, to freedom. Maybe I could run for it? No, I would have to run right through them to get to the door. Could I sneak past them? What the hell, it was worth a shot.  
  
I got down on my hands and knees, and began to crawl into the kitchen. My head was almost the whole way through when I saw the old man. His hand was raised just inches above the woman's thigh. Slowly, he let it settle on her leg.  
  
The woman stiffened, very surprised. Then she turned toward the old man, glaring at him. The man gave an innocent look, flashing a smile. Then the woman smacked his head, hard. The old man grabbed his head, moaned, and pretended to faint, right into the woman's lap.  
  
This was too much for me, and I let out a snort as I tried to contain my laughter. Everyone at the table sat up. Obviously, they heard me. My head shot back into the stairwell, my back pressed against the wall.  
  
Oh shit oh shit oh shit! There gonna find me! I held my breath, listening, my muscles tense, ready to run.  
  
"It looks like our visitor is awake." I heard a voice say from the other room. Then I heard a screeching as a chair was pushed against the floor. My heart was now comfortably settled in my throat. I heard two or three footsteps, and then all was quiet.  
  
I looked up, and there standing before me was the man who had chased me the night of the abduction! I let out a squeak, and jumped up. I hit the stairs and bolted up them. Maybe I could find a place to hide! I got to the top, and was about to run into one of the rooms, when the man appeared in front of me. I crashed into him, and then leapt back, not realizing that the stairs were behind me. I yelled as I fell backwards.  
  
"Gotcha." I heard as I realized my descent had been stopped. I looked up, and saw that the angel had caught me. What was he doing here? To confused to speak, I just let the angle carry me down the stairs, though the kitchen, and set me on a couch. The old man, the woman, and the man who chased me also came into the room. Not saying anything, the man and the woman sat in a smaller couch next to mine. The angle sat in a chair, and the old man sat on a pillow in across a coffee table in front of me. I looked at them, and they looked at me. Breaking the silence, I looked at the angle and said:  
  
"Where are your wings?" the angel looked at me, puzzled.  
  
"You know, your wings, so you can fly. You're an angel, right? I mean, you flew? Right?" A look of understanding crossed his face.  
  
"Oh, you thought I was." He had to stop as he let out a little chuckle. "Sorry kid, but I'm just a human like you. Well, kind of."  
  
"But you flew!" I insisted. Did he not want the others to know? The old man cleared his throat.  
  
"Well, I suppose you have quite a few questions." I nodded. "Well, lets start off with introductions. You're Celic, right?" I nodded.  
  
"Yeah, that's me. The orphanage never gave me a last name cause they didn't know my last name, and I haven't been adopted yet." I didn't know why I told them that, it just came out.  
  
The old man smiled. "Well, perhaps I can help you with that. But, anyway, my name I Kame Sennin, but you can just call my Master Roshi." He pointed at the woman, "this is Angelina Wells," then to the man, "and he is John Briefs." Then, he motioned to the angle/man, but I stopped him before he could say anything else.  
  
"Wait a minute! You mean this guy is John Briefs!? Mr. Capsule Corporation John Briefs!? The millionaire genius!?" They all nodded. I looked at him, and said:  
  
"Why did you need to kidnap me? You don't need any money." I said. At that point, everyone else in the room burst out laughing.  
  
"You thought we kidnapped you!?" Roshi asked, having a hard time talking through all of his giggles. I nodded as I felt my cheeks redden.  
  
"Well, I guess that is kind of what it looked like." Angelina said. "I mean, he did wake up in a house full of strangers." As their laughs subsided, Roshi spoke up again.  
  
"I'm sorry if we scared you, but know that you are free to leave at any time. We just decided that we would try to explain some things to you while we had a chance."  
  
"OK, so what am I doing here?" I asked.  
  
"Well, we brought you here so you could be healed. You were almost dead after you fell from the ship." Roshi said. So I hadn't dreamed it! The abduction, the man flying, it was all real!  
  
"So why didn't you just take me to a hospital?" I asked.  
  
"Well," Roshi started, and then stopped. He looked around the room with a pleading look on his face. I saw them all shake their heads softly. What was that all about?  
  
"Well, lets just say that there might have been a few questions that you might not have been able to answer. Besides, we weren't sure if you wanted to go to a hospital." Roshi explained. Then I remembered I was wanted by the police. So these people somehow knew what I had done. Did they know everything?  
  
"Listen," said the angel/man, who had yet to be introduced, "if we continue this conversation, you might know a lot more then you might like. What we have to tell you will be very hard to swallow, so if you would like to have a normal life, just say so and we'll take you back to Satan City." How could they tell me something that could change my life? After all, they weren't actions like shooting a gun, they were just words. Non-tangible words. How could they affect me more then everything that had already happened?  
  
"I want to know." I said. Despite my confidence, I heard my voice quiver a bit. The others just gave a solemn nod toward Roshi. Then, John Briefs cleared his throat. We all looked at him.  
  
"Well, I think we should start off with the facts of his abduction, as that would probably be the most believable." I stared at him. How could the "facts" of my abduction be the most believable?  
  
"Besides, some of this is new information for the rest for you too." He cleared his throat and began. "From what I have been able to derive from the remains of the computer," He stopped and glared at the angel/man, who studied the floor, "these aliens are what some scientists have labeled 'Greys' because of their color, which is almost all the information they have been able to gather from the abductees. While there are many reports of abductions from Greys and other aliens, most are false. But there are a few true accounts of previous abductions. These Greys have been abducting humans, and other animals, for study. They are trying to find out the weaknesses and strengths of the inhibitors of Earth. They are planning an invasion of our planet." What!? I looked around at the others, to see if they also thought he was crazy. Angelina looked proud as she gazed at John, the angel/man looked bored, and Master Roshi was too busy staring at Angelina's legs too hear what John had said. Obviously not getting the response he desired, John spoke up again.  
  
"Unfortunately, the rest of the information that we have on the Greys would not be understood by Celic, so I suggest that our, um, 'history' be revealed to him. That is, if he agrees to it." With that, everyone in the room turned to me in unison.  
  
"Why would I have to agree to it? Is it like, confidential information or something?" I asked. They all looked around the room, as if they were trying to decide who would be the one to tell me. As if it would harm me in some way.  
  
"Well, as we said before," said Master Roshi, "what we have to tell you will be extremely hard to believe, and it could change you. But, what we have to tell you might help you in the future, and might help some of the things you've gone through." I just shook my head.  
  
"I really don't think that words can change me so easily." I said. Maybe these people were crazy.  
  
"Very well." John stood up, and reached into his pocket. He pulled out an ancient floppy disk. But the way he was holding it, you would think it was the winning lottery ticket or something.  
  
"In this disk contains all the information you need to know." He said as he handed the disk too me. Then he reached in his pocket again, and produced a capsule. The pushed the button and threw it on the table. There was a poof of smoke, and I saw a laptop computer sitting on the coffee table. I put the disk in, and I heard whatever ancient dive it used to open it whirl.  
  
"Just one more question, before I read this earth-shattering information," I said, sarcasm heavy in my voice, "how did you heal me? I mean, I don't remember much, but I know my back was a mess, and so was my shoulder." With than, I slid the sleeve of the t-shirt up so that the tiny scar was visible.  
  
"Oh, that was easy." Said Master Roshi. "We just put you in a healing tank. There were other methods to heal you, but we decided you needed rest."  
  
"You have a healing tank!" I couldn't believe that this old man had something that only the finest hospitals could afford. I mean, they were some of the most expensive medical equipment you could buy.  
  
"Well, I do have some connections." Said Roshi, as he glanced up at John. Of course! I slapped myself. Here was the president of Capsule Corp. standing right in front of me, and I asked where he got the healing tank. My God, just how stupid can someone get!?  
  
Trying to hide my embarrassment, I turned to the computer screen. The document was already open, so I began to read. I mean, how could some little text on a computer screen affect me? It just seemed impossible after everything I had gone through. If only I knew how wrong I was. 


	6. The Choice

Dragon Ball Next Generation  
  
The Grey Saga  
  
Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 6  
  
The document was labeled "The Truth", so I was intrigued as soon as I began to read. The author was a woman named Bulma Briefs. She was the daughter of the creator of capsule transportation and the founder of Capsule Corp.  
  
It was like reading a textbook. It wasn't a story at all, just facts. That is, if you wanted to call the information facts. It was extremely hard to believe.  
  
It began with a young Bulma Briefs setting out on a journey to collect dragon balls. Dragon balls are seven magical orbs that, when are all found and placed together, bring out Shenlon, a great dragon who will grant a wish for the one who summoned him.  
  
During her travels, she met an extraordinarily strong boy named Son Goku. Son Goku went though many adventures with her in order to acquire the dragon balls. After a blown wish, Son Goku went to train with Master Roshi to become stronger. I figured the Master Roshi Son Goku trained under was probably the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, or close to that, of the Master Roshi sitting across from me. He trained with Master Roshi until the 21 Tenkaichi Budokai. Then he went off on his own.  
  
The document went on, mostly about Son Goku. It told of his defeat of the Red Ribbon Army, his defeat at the 22 Tenkaichi Budokai by the hands of Tenshinhan, his battles with the arch demon Piccolo, his fight with Piccolo's "son" at the 23 Tenkaichi Budokai, along with becoming the champion, the birth of his son, Son Gohan, the arrival of his brother.  
  
I stopped there. I found it very hard to believe that Son Goku was a alien. I mean, he looked like a human, except for his tail. I went back to reading. As extraordinary as it all was, somewhere in my heart, I believed it, even though I didn't realize it at the time.  
  
It went on to tell of the coming of the Saiya-jin, and many more villains, that all met their fate at the hands of Son Goku. It finally ended, after the defeat of Il Shenlon, and the wish to revive all those who had been killed. It ended saying that Son Goku, now once again a child, would go with the dragon, and he would return after a hundred years.  
  
I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock in the bottom-right hand of the screen. I had been reading for almost three hours! I closed the laptop, stood up, and stretched. I looked around the room, and saw that everyone else had left, with the exception of Master Roshi, who was literally drooling over an aerobics class on T.V.  
  
"So," I began, my throat dry form letting my mouth hang open so many times as I read the "Truth", "this is all for real?"  
  
Master Roshi turned to face me, looking a little annoyed that I had pulled him away from the flexible women. He nodded, and motioned for me to come with him. He stood up and walked out the screen door. I followed him.  
  
As I walked out, I realized that was on an island. The ocean surrounded me, creating a soft breeze as the waves crashed on the sand. Master Roshi was standing next to me, looking at the sky. I followed his gaze.  
  
What I saw was beyond comprehension, even after everything I had been through, even after what I had read. I saw John, Angelina, and the angel/man flying twenty feet above us! John and Angelina were side-by-side, both in some martial arts position, facing the angel/man.  
  
John looked anything but dorky. He now had on a tight, blue jumpsuit that showed every muscle in his body. Another thing that detracted form his dorkyness was the fact that he was now holding a long, purple hued sword in his hands.  
  
Angelina was wearing a jumpsuit also. I saw that she was not very buff, but she had a well defined body that made her look very strong.  
  
The angel/man was also in a martial arts stance. He was wearing a white muscle shirt and black gi pants.  
  
Suddenly, John and Angelina exploded with a white light, and flew at the angel/man. Angelina got there first, and kicked at him. The angel/man blocked the kick, and a white light surrounded him. He threw a volley of punches that looked like blurs to me at Angelina. She put her arms up, making her arms take the force of the attack.  
  
With a yell, John appeared above the two combatants and swung his sword at the angel/man. The angel/man shifted to his right as the sword went past him, missing him by inches. Then he disappeared. Angelina and John did likewise.  
  
In less then a second, I saw an image of them thirty feet to my right, their limbs moving to fast for me to see anything but blurs. Then they disappeared again, reappeared, again and again. Within seconds, there were seemingly five different battles going on around me. I stared in awe, my mind unable to comprehend their speed.  
  
I heard a scream, and then Angelina fell to the ground five feet away from me, creating a small crater in the sand. In the air, John and the angel/man had stopped moving. The angel/man had John's sword between his palms, half a foot from his head. He twisted sideways, and pulled the sword from John's hands. Dropping the sword, he let loose on John, pummeling him with hits so fast that John could barely defend himself. The angel/man finished with a kick to John's side, sending him to the ground a few feet from where Angelina lay.  
  
John and Angelina got up slowly as the angel/man drifted to the ground next to me. John and Angelina looked a little scuffed up, but they didn't seem to be really hurt. The angel/man looked at Master Roshi and me.  
  
"Finished?" he asked me. All I could do was nod weakly; I was still amazed by what I had just seen. So, everything I had read was true! The Z senshi did exist, 300 years ago. The Earth had been destroyed, rebuilt, destroyed again. my brain felt like it was going to explode, there was just too much information to absorb. There was only one question left: Why was I here? The angel/man realized that I was staring at him.  
  
"We haven't been introduced yet, I'm Xander Kain." He held out his hand. I took it weakly, half expecting to have it crushed. But he shook my hand gently; despite everything I had just seen him do.  
  
I took my hand away and turned to John.  
  
"Why am I here? I mean, what do I have to do with you?" I asked. John smiled.  
  
"Why don't we resume our previous conversation in the house?" With that, we all turned and went into the house.  
  
I took my seat on the couch, and waited for someone to start speaking. After a moment of silence, John spoke up.  
  
"The reason you are here, aside from being healed, is that we thought that we could help you understand some of the things that has happened to you in the past week. We want to give you a choice." A choice? About what?  
  
"You are very unique, Celic." Master Roshi said, interrupting John. "The reason that you were able to do the. things. you did."  
  
"You mean, cripple a man with my bare hands, and kill another?" I said quickly. The others looked down at the floor, obviously uncomfortable. It was gruesome, but I felt it had to be said. I needed cope with what I did, and avoiding it would only make it worse.  
  
"Yes, not only that, but surviving your injuries, traveling through Satan City after losing a large amount of blood, breaking the Greys' paralysis device, and surviving their attack." Master Roshi stopped, looked around the room, and then turned back to me.  
  
"As I said, you are very unique. You have saiya-jin blood flowing through your veins."  
  
It took a few moments to sink in. Finally, it hit me:  
  
"You mean, I'm an alien!?" I was willing to accept most of what they told me, but this was too much.  
  
"Well," John started, "You are not a complete alien, you are still part human." Then he reached into a briefcase behind his chair, opened it up, and produced some papers.  
  
"While you were healing, we took a sample of your blood, to test it, and make sure you were what we thought you were." With that, he placed a sheet in font of me. It had a spiked line through the middle, with numbers above every spike.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't know what this means." I confessed.  
  
"This is the results of your DNA tests," John said, "See those numbers above the line," I nodded, "well, those are the proteins and enzymes that make up your DNA. Now, see where there are question marks above the spikes," I nodded again, "Those are unknown proteins, supposedly proteins exclusive to the Saiya-jin species." I stared at the paper, looking through the numbers and question marks that were supposed to make up myself.  
  
"But, there seems to be a question mark at every other spot, so would that mean that." I trailed off, not wanting to say what I knew.  
  
"That means that you are half Saiya-jin," Master Roshi said, "but you are also half human."  
  
"This is very strange," Said John, "because the Saiya-jin blood has been less and less prominent with every generation. I tested my blood and only found an unknown protein every hundredth spike, or so, and I'm a direct descendant of Vegeta."  
  
"So, how did I become this?" I asked as I held up the paper.  
  
"Both your parents had an unusually high amount of Saiya-jin DNA, and that must have transferred to you. I could go further in the genetics, but I'm afraid that most people here would sleep through it," John said, with a quick glance to Xander, who held up his hands innocently.  
  
"It seems," Master Roshi began, "that your mother was a direct descendant of Son Goku, and your father was a direct descendant of Vegeta." No one spoke again, and we sat there in silence, as all of it washed over me.  
  
"You said something about a choice?" I inferred, looking around the room.  
  
"This is a choice that we have already made," said Xander, "according to John's information, the Greys are coming to invade Earth. It will take them about three years to assemble their forces from the corners of the universe and reach Earth, according to John." He glanced at John, who nodded. "We have decided to prepare for them, and defend the Earth when they come. Your choice is to join us, or go on with a normal life. Being a half Saiya-jin, you would be a great asset to us, but if you wish for a normal life, we understand."  
  
"You mean, I could do all those things you guys just did, move that fast, shoot stuff out of my hands, fly?" I asked. Xander nodded.  
  
"I don't know, I need to think about this, may I go lie down?" I asked.  
  
"Certainly," Master Roshi said, "You can use the room you woke up in. I believe your things are already there." I quickly stood up, nodded to them, and left the room. I climbed the stairs, went into "my" room, and flopped on the bed. That's when everything hit me, and I broke into tears.  
  
It hadn't even been a week since Ann and I had left the orphanage together, with the small purpose of going to the bank to deposit less then twelve zeni. Now, I was on some strange island, in a strange house full of people who could fly, Ann was dead, I had killed a man, more had died because of me, kids had drugs that I had supplied, I was half alien, and I was expected to give up my life to defend the Earth from aliens who would be coming in three years. It overwhelmed me so much that I could do nothing but lie there and cry. Tears of grief, self-pity, anger, and hate ran down my cheeks, soaking the pillow.  
  
Eventually, I cried myself to sleep. A sleep without dreams, or nightmares, just peaceful, much needed sleep.  
  
***  
  
I awoke, grateful to finally wake up in a peaceful, failure place. I had sorted it all out. I knew what I would do. In less then a week, my home, my identity, my humanity, and my love had been stolen from me. I had no chance of a normal life now, no matter what I did. I had nothing to live for.  
  
I got out of bed, and strode out the door, happy to finally have a purpose. I walked down the stairs, and found everyone still in the room I had left. Master Roshi had gone back to watching aerobics, Xander was sitting on a chair, his arms crossed, eyes closed, and a very serious frown on his lips, and Angelina and John were on the couch, her head on his shoulder (it finally hit me that they were a couple). As I entered, they all turned to me. I took a deep breath and said:  
  
"I have decided to join you. I will fight the Greys with you." Unanimously, they all smiled. 


	7. Training Begins

Dragon Ball Next Generation The Grey Saga Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 7  
  
I was informed that my training would begin the next day; and I would begin under Maser Roshi. I had the rest of the day to myself, and I decided to watch the others train.  
  
I watched them spar each other, dancing in the air, flames dancing off their skin, usually moving far to fast for me to see what they were doing. The only time they stood still was when they grappled with each other, battles of strength that Xander usually won.  
  
I was in awe of them. John's mastery of his sword was breathtaking. It literally sung in his hands as he fought. Angelina was so agile, so fast; she was constantly a blur to me. Xander's complete mastery of battle was a sight to behold. Even with both John and Angelina attacking him, he still was able to hold them off. His power was more then enough to take on them.  
  
As I watched them, I doubted myself. How could I do things like that? Would I ever be able to match any of them in combat? Would I just be pushed aside? It all seemed far beyond my reach.  
  
But, even though I had doubts, I just as excited. I found the sight, the sounds, even the smell of battle alluring. I wished to be there myself, to do battle with them. It just seemed so. alive. I cast my doubts aside. I made a promise to myself that one day; I would be there, in the sky, doing battle.  
  
My newfound thirst for fighting was soon drowned out by the rumblings in my stomach. While the healing tank had restored my energy and gave my body nutrients, it had not filled my stomach, and I had barely eaten anything for a week.  
  
As the sun began to set over the ocean, I retreated to the house. I found that food had already been prepared, and there was quite a spread on the table. I meet Master Roshi at the door, who was heading out to call us in for dinner.  
  
The others entered, all drenched in sweat. Breathing hard, Xander said:  
  
"Well, John, you lost, again, so I guess you've got dishes tonight." John cursed quietly, and scowled at Xander. While passing me, Angelina crouched near my ear and whispered:  
  
"This is the fifth strait time he's had to do dishes." She said, amusement in her voice.  
  
"Hey! I heard that!" John yelled as he began to sit down. Angelina smirked.  
  
"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" she said as she sat next to John, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.  
  
I sat down and began to pile food onto my plate. Making no conversation, I began to eat with vigor. I shoveled food into my mouth, not even caring what I was eating. I was just grateful to fill my stomach.  
  
I eventually slowed down enough to look up from my plate. Everyone else at the table was staring at me, in as much awe and surprise as I had been in watching them fight. I felt my cheeks redden.  
  
"You're defiantly related to Goku." Master Roshi said with some amusement. I swallowed my mouthful of food and began to apologize.  
  
"There's no need for that." Master Roshi said, "All Saiya-jins eat like that. I think it has something to do with your fast metabolism."  
  
Then John stood up, opened a cabinet, pulled something out and sat back down. He placed two bottles of pills in front of me, saying: "Before I forget again, you need to take one of each of these, with a full glass of water."  
  
"What are they?" I said, as I struggled to open one of the bottles.  
  
"One's an antibiotic, and the other is and antiviral. You had open wounds for three days, and these will deal with anything you might have picked up. Also, we found some traces of mutated e-coli in your blood when we did the DNA test. It looked like the infection had passed, but I just want to be sure. What worries me is that it seemed to mutate to fit your Sayia-jin cells. Were you sick before the Greys abducted you?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I threw up a lot, and I think I even hallucinated. Could e-coli do that?" I asked, starting to get worried.  
  
"Well, it was a mutated strain, and I don't know much about your unique Saiya-jin structure, but as I said, it looks like the infection has passed. Just take these until you run out, and you should be fine." He assured me.  
  
After dinner, the others went out to train (with the exception of John). I realized how tired I was, and went to bed. I opened up my window to let the sea air come in, and let the sounds of battle put me to sleep.  
  
***  
  
I awoke to the sounds of Master Roshi pounding at my door. I opened my eyes, looked up, saw that it was still dark outside, and went back to sleep.  
  
The next thing I knew, Master Roshi was screaming into my ear, waving his staff around in a threatening manor. I opened my eyes slowly, saw it was dark, and closed my eyes again.  
  
WHACK!  
  
I shot up, grabbing my head. I looked at the old man, who was still standing above my bed, his staff raised for another strike.  
  
"What the hell did you do that for!?" I screamed at him. The old man let his staff drop, positive that I was now awake.  
  
"Well, it seemed like the only way to wake you up." He said.  
  
"You could have just shook me!" I yelled, the pain subsiding from my head. Master Roshi just shrugged.  
  
"What time is it?" I asked, getting out of bed.  
  
"Oh, I'd say around four." He said. I groaned, as I realized that I had agreed to start my training today, and this was probably part of it.  
  
I hoped out of bed, and got a pair of shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt from the suitcase. I pulled them on, and drugged down the steps. Master Roshi was waiting for me by the door.  
  
"Before we begin, I want to get a sense of where you're at, so I know how to begin your training." He said. Then he put something on his ear. It had a white box with a button that fit on to his ear, and a green glass that came across his face and covered his eye.  
  
"What's that?" I asked.  
  
"A present from John. It's called a scouter. It reads a persons fighting power, and translates it to numbers." Then he pushed the button, and the glass blinked a few times, and then stopped.  
  
"Huh. Tell me, have you had any training in martial arts, or any kind of physical sport?" I shook my head.  
  
"No, I've never really played any sports or anything outside of PE, but I was usually pretty good." I said.  
  
"Interesting. I suppose it's because of your injures. Your were in pretty bad shape before you got here." He reasoned.  
  
"What do my injures have to do with my fighting power? And, why is it interesting?" I asked/demanded. I was getting tired of people talking about things I had no clue about.  
  
"Well, first of all, your injures have everything to do with your fighting power. If a Sayia-jin recovers from a near fatal injury, then his power will increase a great deal. And, it is interesting because, although you have had no training in martial arts, you have a fighting power of 12. While that is not very strong compared to the others, most humans have and average fighting power of three to five. All those things you endured in Satan City must have made you stronger." He said. I stood there, not saying anything, just contemplating his words. It was extremely strange to think that I was stronger then most people on Earth.  
  
"One more thing before we begin training, come with me." He walked out the door. I followed him. He stood on the beach, facing me.  
  
"Scouters can only tell me so much. But I want to see your potential. If you're anything like your descendants, you should be able to go far." With that, Master Roshi brought his hands parallel to his chest, and moved his left foot backwards.  
  
"I want you to try and hit me." the old man said. Was he serious! I was twice as strong as most people, and this guy looked almost ninety. There was no way I could hit this guy without nearly killing him! He saw my doubtful look and smiled.  
  
"You think you will hurt me? Well then, here's your first lesson: never underestimate your opponent." He said confidently. I wondered why I had actually agreed to train under a senile old man. I sighed, it was his funeral, hopefully not literally.  
  
I stepped into a stance I saw the others use last night. I raised my right hand to my chest and made a fist, the other I put behind my back. I moved my feet parallel to each other, my right in front.  
  
I swung, and found nothing but air. The old man had disappeared! I gasped as I realized that he was behind me. I turned around and swung again. This time, my fist went right through him! The image faded, and more appeared. There were a total of four Master Roshis surrounding me. I realized that he was probably moving fast enough to create images, just a trick to fool my eyes.  
  
I stood there, staring at the images, hoping that he would trip, or he would stop for any reason. Then I realized that I was staring at the same four images. If he could keep them up, then he had to be moving in a circle, or they would have faded like the last one. I looked closer, and realized that all his clothes, even his beard, were all pulled slightly to the right, so I rationalized that he had to be moving in a circle to his left! With that new revelation, I put my fist between two of the images, and swung right.  
  
"OWWWW!" I cried in pain as my fist connected with Master Roshi's jaw. It felt like I had just tried to hit concrete. I grabbed my hand and began to do a little dance of pain. Master Roshi put his hand to his jaw, but didn't appear to really be hurt. In fact, he smiled.  
  
"How did you know where I was?" He asked, his voice betraying his amazement. I told him how I figured it out. He seemed impressed.  
  
"You have grate potential, this proves it. You already think like a warrior, which is more then I can say for some ten times your strength." He said. The old man's words instilled a great pride in me, and I became anxious to begin training.  
  
Master Roshi went back into the house, and came back with a capsule box. He opened it up, took one out, and threw it on the ground. There was a puff of smoke, and it cleared away to reveal a jet-car. Then he went to the side of his house, and a moment later, it disappeared into smoke. It cleared to reveal Master Roshi, putting a capsule back in the box, and a large hole in the ground where the Kame House once was. As we boarded the jet-car, I remembered something.  
  
"Wait! Weren't the others in the house when you capsized them!" I gasped, wondering if capsizing a person would kill them.  
  
"Oh, they left some time after you went to bed last night." He explained. I sighed in relief.  
  
I don't know how long it took us to reach our destination, because waking up at four in the morning took affect as soon as I was comfortable, and slept until Master Roshi woke me up (he shook me this time).  
  
We were on another island, but much larger then Master Roshi's. There was a city a few miles from where Master Roshi had placed his house, but between the two locations was a thick jungle. I figured the Master Roshi like the privacy (he did live alone on an island, after all).  
  
The next order of business was to get me some "equipment". That consisted of a large turtle shell that weighed fifty pounds. I put it on my back, and was surprised to find that it seemed quite light. And, so began my training.  
  
The first thing I did was deliver milk. As strange as this sounds, it was quite a demanding task. I went house to house in the city, putting bottles at the front doors of houses. And, it was quite a big city. Not to mention that I had the turtle shell on my back, which seemed pretty heavy a half- hour into it.  
  
After we finally returned to the house, with Master Roshi acting like it had been merely a brisk walk, and me barely able to take a breath, Master Roshi told me that I could rest while he got breakfast ready. I sat at the table, my legs singing praises to the angels for being able to rest. I wolfed down some eggs, rice, bacon, and some tea for breakfast.  
  
From then, until lunch, I ran (sometimes in circles, sometimes from wild animals), swam, and jumped, along with some more traditional exercises, such as push-up, sit-up, squats, and pull-ups (still wearing that damn turtle shell).  
  
I actually impressed myself with how much I did, and how far I could push myself. I found out I had quite a large threshold for pain (unfortunately). So many times, I wanted to quite, just give up and collapse, but something inside of me refused to give in. Perhaps it was from seeing the others spar the night before, and my desire to be with them on the battlefield.  
  
As I sat down for lunch, I discovered that while I was tired and sore, I felt satisfied. It was satisfaction that no food, drink, or other pleasure could have given me. It was satisfaction of my Saiya-jin blood. I knew then that I had made the right choice.  
  
After lunch, Master Roshi and I headed back to the city. Rather, I headed back the city as Master Roshi rode atop my turtle shell, adding his weight to it. It amazed me that he was able to stay on while I ran, stumbled, and tripped on the road to the city. His balance was incredible.  
  
Master Roshi directed me to a construction site near the heart of the city. When we arrived there, he informed me that he had already made arrangements for me to work there.  
  
I spent the rest of the time helping the workers carry large and heavy stuff, scrambling along the building's skeleton giving them tools, digging holes with my bare hands, and of course I didn't get to use any of the kick- ass machinery they used.  
  
As I left the site, I found Master Roshi flirting with some twenty- something women (which ended up pretty badly, as one of them happened to have a can of pepper spray). After he finished rolling on the ground in pain, he jumped on my back and directed me through a new route through the city, which just happened to go by a hentai store.  
  
As the Master Roshi jumped off my back, I saw a gleam in his eye, as if he was a little boy outside of a candy store, instead of the perverted old man he was. No, that irony was not lost on me.  
  
That's how I found myself, a thirteen-year-old boy, with a large turtle shell on his back, outside a hentai store. Of course, I got a few bad looks from people.  
  
Finally, Master Roshi immerged from the store, with a sack that looked almost twice as big as him! I just shook my head, until he jumped on my back. I almost collapsed under the weight.  
  
When we returned home, I began more exercises as Master Roshi went over his new treasures with vigor. I was on my fifty-fourth push-up when Master Roshi, with a red face and a slight nosebleed (that merited a slight eyebrow raise from me), told me that I could come in for dinner. I ran him over as I raced to the house.  
  
I finished dinner, greatly surprised that only one large plate of noodles had completely filled me up. I sat back, grateful for the full stomach and chance to rest, and asked him how he did it.  
  
"I've fed Saiya-jins before, and I know how you eat. So, I just add a little dried Sensu powder, and I save hundreds of dollars on food." He explained.  
  
"What's Sensu powder?" I asked.  
  
"Just dried and crushed Sensu beans." He saw my confused look and went on, "Sensu beans are magical beans that will heal any injury you have, and will also fill you up for ten days. I just add a little sprinkle in the food, it's great for training because it helps you regain your energy." I realized he was right. I felt a whole lot better then I had before dinner.  
  
After dinner, we went outside, and Master Roshi began to train me in martial arts. That first evening, he only went over a few basic stances and maneuvers, but I had to do them over and over until he was satisfied that could do them well. I would learn more advanced techniques in the future.  
  
Never had a hot shower and a bed been so inviting as that first night of my training. I let the hot water pour down my aching body, letting it relax. As the grime and sweat of the day washed away, I felt like a new person.  
  
It was then that the realization of what I had done actually came to me. I knew that, at least for the next three years, my life would only consist of more training, more pain, more tired and aching muscles. I had thrown away my life and taken a new one. No longer was I an orphan child. I was now Son Celic, a warrior who knew only strength and pain.  
  
I realized that I had just used my full name for the first time. My whole life, I had only been known with a single name. Now, I had a full one. I had an identity, a purpose, a place in the world. That in itself was worth all the pain I had and might in the future endure. I cried tears of joy then.  
  
I left the bathroom, said good night to Master Roshi, and went upstairs. I fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow. 


	8. The Vow

Dragon Ball Next Generation  
  
The Grey Saga  
  
Part 1: The Atrocity  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"KA... ME... HA... ME... HA!" I yelled, and thrust my hands, palms together, tips of my fingers curved, out in front of me. Nothing happened.  
  
I pulled cupped hands back to my side, this time spreading my fingers a little farther apart then the previous time. I yelled, and my hands shot forward again. Still nothing. After a few more failed attempts, I began to feel frustrated, and launched into a series of punches, kicks, and steps to regain my focus.  
  
I finished with my right leg in front of me, in a side kick. I realized that if I could balance with the turtle shell on my back, I could balance with it off. I stood like that, and looked up at the clear sky. Soon, the sun would be up, and I would be treated to another ocean sunrise. My breathing slowed, as did my heart, and I assumed a horse-stance, feet parallel to each other, shoulder width apart. I cupped my hands, and prepared for another attempt at the kamehameha, when I was interrupted by a door opening behind me.  
  
"You woke up early, I see." Master Roshi said behind me. I turned around and bowed to him.  
  
"Yes, I wanted to practice the kamehameha some more, but I still can't do it." I confessed.  
  
"Don't worry about it, kid. It took my fifty years to learn that technique." He said. Not exactly encouraging. Hopefully, it wouldn't take me that long to master it.  
  
Master Roshi had shown me the technique two days ago, on my nineteenth day of training. I had already learned many melee techniques, and he thought I was ready for some more advanced techniques. He had shown me the Kamehameha, and zanzoken (I learned that was the attack he had used on the first day of my training). I had yet to master either, but I thought that I could perform zanzoken once I finally discarded the turtle shell on my back (which I had to have on unless I was showering or sleeping).  
  
I got my milk and followed Master Roshi to the city. I really enjoyed the city, it was so different then Satan City. The air was clean, the water was pure, and there seemed to be a lack of crime and poverty. There were few factories, and most businesses were private, made to support families, not become insanely rich. The people there were kind and seemed to all know one another. It seemed to good to be true, but perhaps living in Satan City most of my life had jaded me.  
  
My training was going very well. In a little over two weeks, I could already see and feel a difference. I was always pretty tall for my age, and as a result I had been pretty scrawny. But after Master Roshi's training, my muscles were beginning to become more defined, and I lost that scrawny look. I was able to take pride in what I was doing, and I felt fulfilled at the end of each day. I felt like my life had more meaning now that I had a drive and a goal, and that I knew that I was doing everything I could to prepare for it. For the first time in my life, I was consistently happy. I found more then a master in Roshi, for he was also a good friend to me, and I found I was able to talk about almost anything to him. Despite his perverted tendencies, he was quite wise.  
  
That evening, during dinner, I was eating slower then usual. Master Roshi noticed and asked me about it.  
  
"I was thinking about the old Z senshi, the thing John showed me never said what happened to them after Son Goku left with the dragon. I was wondering if you knew." I said. Master Roshi nodded.  
  
"I always thought that Bulma's account was missing quite a bit, after all, there is hardly anything about me in there." He said.  
  
"Wait a minuet, what do you mean by that, you weren't around then." I said.  
  
"Well, of course I was, who do you think trained them?" He asked.  
  
"I figured that it was your great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather or something." I said, slightly in disbelief. "I mean, you're only. I mean, it was so. that was over three hundred years ago!"  
  
"Goes to show you what will happen if you keep in shape." He said. I couldn't tell if he was kidding or not. "Anyway, I can tell you what happened to the Z senshi. Krillian, Yampcha, Tenshinhan, and Chiatzu all got old, and eventually died. 18 saw Dr. Briefs and asked him to install a program that would let her age with Krillian. They died two days apart from each other. Their daughter, Marron, married and had three children. She eventually died from age as well. But, the Saiya-jins were a different story. After Bulma passed away at ninety-five, Vegeta only looked like he was around fifty, as Saiya-jins age much slower then humans. After her death, Vegeta took on a life of solitude, only coming out once in a while to see his grand children. He trained constantly; with his wife gone, and his son and daughter both adults, it was the only thing he knew. Buy the time he died, about a hundred years ago, he was the strongest warrior the universe had ever seen. He ended his life in great pride, as he wanted it. The others, Son Gohan and Goten, and Trunks and Bra Briefs, all aged slightly slower then humans, but because they were also part human, it was nothing as far as Vegeta's. Their descendants have all lived normal human life spans." He said, then took a drink of water. I wondered how long I would live, being a half Saiya-jin and all.  
  
"What about Son Goku? What happened to him?" I asked.  
  
"Unfortunatly, no one knows. No one has seen him sense he left with Shenlong. One hundred years passed, and he never came back to Earth. He also was never seen in the afterlife. I don't know what happened to him, but I am sure that he is not gone. Goku loved this planet and those on it too much to leave." He said. He said nothing else that night. He didn't come out and instruct me in my training after dinner. He seemed to be caught up in memories, and I thought it best not to disturb him.  
  
After sixty-seven consecutive failures of the kamehameha that night, I went to bed. I didn't sleep well however. I was plagued by visions of seeing others age while I remained young. I also tried to think of any possible reasons as to why Son Goku never returned to Earth, but failed at that also.  
  
***  
  
I endured my training with Master Roshi for a total of four months, two weeks, and three days. By the end of my training, I carried a total of five hundred and twenty-three pounds on my back. I had mastered many basic attacks, and knew many more. I had a fighting power of 263. But, before I could do that, I had two tasks to perform.  
  
"Alright, you can take off you shell now." Said Master Roshi, as we approached a large boulder imbedded in the earth. Gratefully, I shrugged the shell off my back, into my right hand. Feeling a little showoff-y, I threw the shell behind my back, and was rewarded three seconds later with a thud as the shell made a small crater behind me.  
  
"Now, you have to move this boulder five inches from where it is now." Master Roshi said. I smiled, this should be a piece of cake. I stepped back a few feet.  
  
"YHAAAA!" I screamed as I ran at the boulder. When I was a foot away from the boulder, I jumped and did a flying-sidekick at it. My foot made contact with it, and for a second, I hung in the air, with my right foot extended, my left curved under it. As I dropped, the boulder not only moved five inches, but cracked where I made contact. I stood up and flashed a peace sign to Master Roshi.  
  
"Your next task won't be so easy." He said, and assumed an attack position. I assumed a defensive one.  
  
For a moment, we just stared each other down. My heart was beating about twice as fast as normal. This would be my first real fight. I had sparred with Master Roshi before, but with only with the intent of gaining his advice. But this time he wouldn't be stopping to tell me what I was doing wrong, and he wouldn't be holding back. Neither would I.  
  
Finally, I couldn't take the waiting any more, and charged Master Roshi. I leapt at him and swung with my right fist. He gracefully ducked underneath it and delivered a quick blow to my exposed side. I leapt away, cursing under my breath for making such a stupid move. I attacked wildly, and left myself completely open. If this had been a real battle, I could already have had a few broken ribs. I calmed down, and resumed my stance.  
  
I waited a few moments, and after he made no movement, I attacked again. This time, I charged at him wildly again, but I leapt to my side when I was within kicking distance. Master Roshi, expecting another wild punch, had already moved to block it, leaving himself open at his side. I kicked, only to have it blocked. The old man struck for my gut, but I shifted to my side, avoiding the strike, and countered with a punch of my own. Blocked again. He let loose with a barrage of punches, quick and decisive, meant more to disorient me then anything. I blocked most of them, and stepped backwards to avoid the rest. He leapt at me, aiming a kick for my head. I ducked underneath, and let him sail over me. I was already in mid-kick as he landed, and scored a hit to his side. Simultaneously, we leapt away from each other, both assuming attack stances.  
  
I realized that I had to attack less, and watch for openings, or I would be beaten. While I was physically stronger then him (which was to be expected), he was a master of all melee techniques, and could find an opening in even the most secure defense. I had to draw his attack, and counter.  
  
Unfortunately, I was a novice, and was impatient. I ran at him, this time to draw his attack. I zanzokened behind him, leaving an image of me attacking in his face. Knowing that he would turn around from some advice he had once given me, I zanzokened again, a few feet to his left.  
  
As expected, Master Roshi tuned and kicked behind backwards. He was surprised to find that he had just kick at air, and lost his composure for a moment.  
  
That was all I needed. I leapt at him, aiming a flying sidekick at him. He turned, but was to late. I connected with him, sending him flying several yards. He stuck out his hands, caught the ground, flipped, and landed in an attack stance.  
  
At once, he ran at me. He leapt. I expected him to kick at me, so I put my arms in front of me to block his attack. But, instead of kicking me, he landed less then a foot in front of me. He kicked up, hitting my arms, and breaking my defense. With my hands in the air, he landed punch after punch to my gut and chest, ending in a blow to my solar plexus that caused me to bend over in pain. He used my new position, and kicked my chin, sending me strait up.  
  
Disoriented, I couldn't rebound after the attack, and let myself fall. Big mistake. As soon as I came near the ground, Master Roshi kicked me again, sending my flying horizontally. I landed on the ground, skidded, and then flipped up, the pain already receding.  
  
Master Roshi, not wasting a second, charged at me again. I took the offensive, and was about to swing, when he shot strait up into the air. I jumped after him.  
  
As I met him in the air, I swung a kick at his midsection. It went strait through him! I had been fooled. Below and behind me, I saw the real Roshi coming for me. His ascent stopped as he came parallel to me in the air, behind me. He aimed a kick for my head. Because I was in the air, I couldn't avoid it. I did the best I could, though, by lowering my head and raising my arm. Master Roshi landed an awkward kick to my shoulder, sending me back to the ground.  
  
I stuck my hands out, touched the ground, bent my elbows to absorb my momentum, and pushed off, landing on my feet. Master Roshi yelled, and I saw him coming at me, his foot extended.  
  
I reacted without even thinking. I shot my hands out, and grabbed his leg at the last instant. A look of astonishment crossed the old man's face before I swung him, using his own momentum against him. I released his leg, sending him crashing into the ground about 50 feet away from me.  
  
It took Master Roshi a few seconds to get up this time. He looked pretty beaten up, and was covered with dirt and grass, but what I think hurt him most was the fact that his shades were broken.  
  
That was the first time I had actually seen his eyes. They looked so vibrant and young, but also seemed to hold a great deal of wisdom. They were eyes that had seen many happy times, but just as many hard times.  
  
Master Roshi removed the broken glasses and threw them aside. Then he reached for his back pocket, and pulled out another pair, exactly like the first. He adjusted them on his face, and then looked up at me, seemingly surprised that I was there. I think that, for a moment, he forgot we were in the midst of battle.  
  
Then Master Roshi quickly unfastened his shirt and cast it aside, revealing his old and withered body. I started to feel bad for hitting him; he looked so weak. His skin was literally sagging off his bones. Then, he took in a deep breath, exhaled, and cupped his hands at his side. Suddenly, giant muscles bulged and expanded underneath his skin. I lost my guilt right there.  
  
"KA..." Master Roshi began. I realized he was going to do the kamehameha. And I still hadn't figured out how to do it! I cupped my hands at my side, knowing I at least had to try.  
  
Then, looking at Master Roshi, as he began the first stage of his attack, something in my mind clicked. Just like that. I knew what to do. I spread my feet apart a little farther, and moved my palms closer together, and began.  
  
"KA..." I was doing it! I could feel it! I could feel something radiating inside of me, traveling to my hands. It was coming from every part of my body, a sense of strength, flowing into my arms.  
  
"ME..." I could feel it gathering in my hands. I sent more of the power to them.  
  
"HA..." I thought I had enough power; I just needed to condense it.  
  
"ME..." I could feel it taking a form of a sphere in my palms.  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Master Roshi and I screamed in unison, as we thrust out our arms. A blue ball of power came into existence before my palms, and somehow, I willed it to shoot for Master Roshi. The beam shot from my hands, as I pushed it, using more of my gathered power. As our two attacks met, I could feel Master Roshi's ki pushing against mine. Slowly, his attack began to push mine back.  
  
I pushed harder, willing more and more ki to flow through my arms, into the beam. It expanded, and began to overtake Master Roshi's. It bore down on Master Roshi, gaining speed, crushing his attack. When it was almost upon him, he broke his stance, and leapt away, the attack missing him by inches. It hit the ground, exploding on impact, sending dirt and grass cascading over us. I stood there, still in my kamehameha stance, amazed at the attack I had just done.  
  
Master Roshi slowly walked over to me, obviously tired. I realized then that I was too, but I also felt great. The fight had been short but intense, and I felt like I had learned a year's worth in technique and skill. Not to mention that I had finally done the kamehameha.  
  
Master Roshi looked at me, grinning. He bowed to me, ending the fight. I bowed back, showing my respect to a great fighter.  
  
"Well," said Master Roshi, "it seems you have surpassed me. I have nothing left to teach you. I am very proud of you. I knew that you could learn the kamehameha; you just needed the right situation. Now, you may go on to your next stage of training. But, before you go, I have a few gifts for you."  
  
I followed him back to the Kame House. When I entered, I saw my things packed back into a suitcase. I smiled; he had been expecting me to pass his tests. There was also a package next to the suitcase. Master Roshi picked it up and gave it to me. I opened it, and peered inside.  
  
There lay a red-orange gi, complete with a black belt. The sign of the turtle school was sewed on the back, and another, smaller sign, on the front.  
  
"While you have surpassed me, you were still my student, and I would be honored if you would wear this." He said. I figured actions were better then words, so I changed into the gi. It was marvelous. It was so comfortable, and I could move in it so easily. I did a few experimental kicks around the room, and then turned to Master Roshi.  
  
"Thank you, it was an honor to train under you." I said, bowing. Maser Roshi made for the door, and I grabbed my stuff and followed him.  
  
"I have one more gift for you." He said. Then he looked up at the sky, and called:  
  
"KINTOUN!" Then a small cloud appeared in the sky, travelling toward us, leaving a trail of cloud behind it. It halted before us, floating in the air.  
  
"This is called the kintoun, and it will take you anywhere, as long as you have a pure heart. It was Goku's main form of transportation when he was your age, and now I'm giving it to you." He said.  
  
"How am I supposed to ride on a cloud?" I asked.  
  
"If you have a pure heart, it will let you on. If someone without a pure heart tries to ride it, they will just pass right through." I figured that the only reason I was really receiving it was because Master Roshi couldn't ride it himself. But could I ride it? I wasn't perfect, and I thought back to all the things I had done in Satan City. I doubted the kintun would let me ride it. Master Roshi saw my worried gaze.  
  
"Don't worry about riding it. I know that you feel you have committed some kind atrocity in Satan City, but a heart is not impure because of an action, but because of the motive behind it. Your motive was love, possibly the greatest motive of all." He said. I felt a little better, and decided it was at least worth a try.  
  
Holding my breath, I leapt up on the cloud. To my surprise, it held. It was firm, but comfortable. My feet felt secure.  
  
"One more thing." Said Master Roshi. He got a letter out of his pocket, and handed it to me.  
  
"This will allow you to get where you're going. If anyone questions you, just let them read this, and they should understand. If not, then your where you not supposed to be." He said.  
  
"Thank you again. If there is anything I can do for you, please, don't hesitate to ask." I said.  
  
"It was an honor to train you. You really are a descendant of Son Goku, and I know you'll do well. Your next stage in your training will be in a land call Karin. The kintoun knows the way; just will it to go there. Good bye, Son Celic." He said.  
  
In my mind, I told the kintoun to go to Karin, and it shot off like a rocket. I waved good bye as the island became a mere speck in the ocean.  
  
Riding on the kintoun was great. I knew it wouldn't let me fall, and it seemed to read my mind. If I wanted to turn, it would turn, if I wanted to go up, it would go up. I couldn't help but to laugh in utter joy as I spiraled and looped through the air. It was like the ultimate roller coaster. As I flew with the mind in my air, I forgot all my worries and cares, and just had fun for the first time in over four months. I felt like nothing could spoil riding on the kintun.  
  
Then I saw it.  
  
At first, I just saw the darkening clouds, and thought that it was just a storm. Then, I saw the source of the dark clouds. Amidst tall buildings, I saw many smokestacks, pouring out polluting smog. It was Satan City. I stopped, and gazed at the city as I had never seen it before.  
  
I never realized just how polluted the city's air was. From my aerial view, I could see that the city was blanketed in a fog of polluted air, distorting the shapes of the buildings. How the forest that surrounded the city survived, I couldn't guess, what with the lack of clean air and decent sunlight. Probably clean water, too.  
  
I could even smell it, even though I was miles away. After breathing the fresh sea air, the air of the city made me almost gag, even though I had breathed it most of my life.  
  
It was my home.  
  
*Go home* A voice in the back of my head told me. *There it is, easily in your reach, all you have to do is make the kintun turn, and you can go home. It's been over four months, and there have probably been so many more crimes by now, they've probably forgotten about the robbery. You can go back to the orphanage, live a normal life.*  
  
It was so tempting. I knew that I yearned for it, to return to Satan City, to go to school with other kids my age, to get a real job, to live a normal life.  
  
*You've done what you wanted to do. You've surpassed a master of martial arts, you can use ki, and with the kintoun, you can fly. Now, go home.* the voice told me.  
  
But what about the Greys, and defending the Earth?  
  
*Why should you give up your life to save those people? What have they done for you? Those people have done nothing other then hurt you. They're so caught up in themselves, they don't care what they do to others, like Ann.* The voice was starting to make sense. *Besides, Xander and the others are far stronger then you, and you wouldn't be able to help anyway.*  
  
I'd done what I'd set out to do, so why not. There was nothing before me in that smog-filled city that was worth giving my life for. The only person that ever was, was dead. But, surly there were others like Ann. Kind, caring people who made you feel like your more then just an unwanted orphan? And what about others who feel for other people the way I felt for Ann?  
  
I realized then that it wasn't about me, and in the same instant the treacherous voices were silenced. It wasn't about what I had been through, or what others had done, for as many atrocities that people commit, there are just as many good deeds, and good people. I made a silent vow then; for those who are good, and for those who feel love, for those who were too weak to defend themselves, and in the memory of the woman I loved, I would train, and grow strong, and fight.  
  
For her, I would fight.  
  
End Part 1  
  
COMING UP:  
  
Dragon Ball Next Generation  
  
The Grey Saga  
  
Part 2: The Sacrifice  
  
The blood on his hands shall flow like a river. 


End file.
